Arkham Days, Gotham Knights
by Witch of Erie Knoll
Summary: Crane was stuck in Arkham thanks to Batman, one day a silent woman is tossed into Arkham with him. His new little toy he will soon discover could help him take down the bat. But why is the Riddler laughing at him?
1. Silence

He was late. He should of broken out of Arkham by now, he knew she would kill him if he wasn't there. Letting out a sigh, she walked toward to stairwell to exit the roof and back into the apartment building. She briskly made her way down to the fifth floor of the nearly empty building. All her neighbors were involved in Gotham's underworld, mostly goons of infamous rouges. she had no fear of them and as long as they didn't annoy her they could live peacefully in the building together. Entering apartment 5B, she walked into the kitchen where her sister, Deka was washing dishes from tonight's dinner.

"I assume you are going to go break him out yourself?" Deka asked, as she shut off the water. "Or are you going to do something stupid like get caught, beat the shit out of him, then expect me to break both of you out?"

"He better have a good excuse for being late," she huffed as wrote down a number. "Also I am going to break him out but if things don't go right call this number there apart of his normal goons they will help you get us all out."

"I told you not to get involved with one of Gotham's infamous rouges," Deka said in a sing song voice.

"You're five years too late," she replied as she got a few supplies out of the closet. "Maybe if you were sober you could of actually done something. Keep Nate safe."

****Six Years Earlier*****

It had been a quiet few days since Jonathan Crane had been caught by batman and dragged back to this hell hole known as Arkham Asylum. Crane better known as Scarecrow had been the first of the infamous rouges to be brought back since there massive break out three months ago. Jervis Tetch the Mad Hatter had joined him back in the high security part of Arkham two nights ago and last night Edward Nigma, the Riddler had been drug in by the bat.

"Who tripped the silent alarm?" Crane asked Nigma after they brought him back from changing into the orange Arkham jump suit and stripping him of all his personal effects.

"One of the buffoons Two-face loaned me," he grumbled as slumped onto his cot running a hand through his hair. "Two-face set me up. I could of easily walked in and out of that back with my normal crew and been playing with my pretty diamonds as Batman tries to solve my riddles. Those morons are still in Blackgate. Now I am stuck here with you."

"I expect Joker or Harley will be joining us within the month, and we'll be out again," Crane replied as he heard two orderly walking by the outer door gossiping.

"They say she killed two Blackgate guards in her last escape attempt, I heard the warden of Blackgate paid off a judge to declare her insane so now we have to deal with her," a whiny high pitch female orderly complained.

"What else is new Blackgate always make sure the worst of the worst get sent here, not like we have enough problem patients to deal with," replied a feminine sounding male voice. The rest of the conversation was lost as they moved away from their hallway.

"Wonder who they are talking about?" Crane asked, making small talk until breakfast.

"Some Jane Doe Batman caught when she tried to kill Commissioner Gordon," Nigma replied as he tried to fluff his pillow to make it more comfortable. "Same unacceptable conditions! Would it kill them to get us decent pillows!"

"She's an unknown," Tetch said as he stared at Enigma.

"They said she was a high profile assassin for Carmine Falcone. She doesn't exist in any crime database, dental records match no one, DNA not on file, she is a mystery I thought Batman would be too busy trying to figure out to notice me robbing a bank."

"Its like she dropped out of Wonderland," Tetch said absent mindlessly.

"Or just stayed off the radar her entire life," Crane noted as he heard alarms going off,, notifying an emergency lock down.

"Break out? Tetch said hopefully. "I really must go find Alice she is waiting for me."

"I highly doubt it is a break out," Nigma sighed as he heard guards rushing by mumbling about heading to intake. "But I think we are going to be getting a new cell mate."

"They wouldn't put some nobody in here with us, she has no recognition," Crane replied as he strained his ears to try to hear what was happening.

"She is an unknown," Tetch stated as he walked over to the glass of his cell next to Crane. "People fear the unknown."

"Do not speak to me about fear!" Crane growled, furious Tetch was speaking to him about his expertise. "I can make you live your worst fear right now!"

"I already am, I lost Alice!" he whined then threw himself onto his cot.

They could no longer ease drop as Tetch's wails filled the ward. Few minutes later the orderlies came in to sedate him, saying he was disturbing the other patients. It was a lie of course, they were separated from the general population and the only ones who could hear Tetch was the employees. Crain was glad for the silence as the drugs kicked in and Tetch wails turned into small mumbles of 'Alice'.

"I do believe I was right," Nigma stated as the door to their ward opened.

In marched Warden Sharp, followed by two orderlies pushing a table with a woman strapped down to it. Sharp unlocked the cell, and they pushed her into the cell next to Nigma and across from Crane. He could see she was in a straight jacket and had a mask over her mouth they used on patients who bite. They tilted the table so she was in a stand position and exited the cell as Sharp walked in.

"Those little antics you pulled today will not be repeated," he informed her as she stared at him with cold blue eyes. "Maybe a little time strapped to that table will teach you a lesson. We are a much stricter institute then Blackgate and you will find the punishments unforgiving for bad behavior. Enjoy your time here miss."

He left the cell and ordered the orderlies to get the guards to take Crane and Enigma to there normal activities for the day, and for breakfast to be brought to Tetch.

"Maybe a day without food will teach you not to bite a guard," Sharpe said as he slammed the door shut to the mysterious woman's cell. She remained quiet as Sharp left their ward as they were being chained to go to the dining hall. Crane watched as she just remained silent, not even struggling strapped to the table as the guard lead him out of the ward. The ward went back to being silent except for the occasional whisper of 'Alice'. Smiling to himself Crane found himself a new toy to play with until he broke out of Arkham.


	2. A break

"Doctor Penelope Young November fifteenth session three with the unknown female inmate from Blackgate. Patient is still unresponsive; she has not uttered a word since she entered Arkham. From reports in the files sent over from Blackgate except from the occasional laughter when attacking guards patient has not spoken even at her own trial. Professor Strange wishes me to classify her as a mute, but I believe she will speak to me with some work. Today's session remains the same; patient is just staring at me with no responsiveness. I was hoping to make some progress by today but she seems to refuse to acknowledge my presence except by staring at me and remaining unmoving. I was concerned about patient not speaking English but as I tried during last session patient has not responded to any other language. I have even offered to have the straight jacket removed, but still unresponsive, not even a head nod. Guards!"

Crane watched as they wheeled the woman back into her cell. No one had been able to get her to speak, let alone move. It was frustrating, not that he would admit it. She would just sit on her cot, propped up against the wall were the guards placed her. He sat in his cell waiting for Nigma to return from his session with a psychiatrist. He had come back from his session early; some fool had decided to give his care over to an intern who had just quit about ten minutes ago. Knowing Nigma owed him a hundred for getting rid of his twit who thought he could cure the renowned Scarecrow.

Hearing a commotion coming from down the hall, he watched as Batman walked in dragging a handcuff Two-face. He shoved Two-face into the cell on the other side of Tetch.

"Well someone had a busy morning," Crane stated as Batman walked by his cell. "You ever figure out who she is? No? Losing your touch Batman!"

Crane taunted him as he left, Batman never acknowledged him as usual. A few minutes later Nigma was returned to his cell.

"When Dent get here?" he asked as he rubbed his raw flesh on his wrist were the handcuffs where, the guards always making sure they were extra tight.

"Not too long ago," Crane replied trying not to look so smug. "Dr. Shultz still work here?"

"Unfortunately," he replied, before it dawned on him. I take it you got the idiot intern to quit." Crane nodded his head yes. "That was a 100? Pay you once we get out of here."

"BATMAN!" Harvey screeched and pounded against the glass coming to his senses.

"Welcome to the party Dent," Nigma stated as he leaned against the cool glass of his cell. What failed scheme where you doing during the middle of the day that Batman busted you?"

"A homeless man tried to mug me and while beating him to a pulp HE found me," Dent said quietly and quickly.

For a moment there was silence before the other two started laughing at him. Tetch was brought in amidst their laughing.

"Keep it down," the guard ordered as the put Tetch back in his cell, a huge smile plastered on his face.

"I found Alice!" he cried, as soon as the guards left. "She came here under the disguise of a student doing an externship! She found me! My beautiful blond Alice!"

"Sharp is an idiot to let a blond female anywhere near you," Crane sneered, as he heard Dent hit his glass cell door.

"What is that bitch doing here?!" Dent hissed as he took notice of the silent female sitting on her cot.

"You know her?" Nigma asked perking up waiting for new information Dent may possess.

"Falcone tried to have her kill me the night this happened!" He screamed as he pointed to the twisted flesh on half of his face. "He called off the hit as she was standing above me pointing a gun in my face. Falcone wanted to see how all this would turn out. When I get out of here I'm going to rip you a new one!"

This caused her to giggle, the first sound she had made in Arkham.

"Anytime Harv," she replied in a sensual voice before she returned to her regular stance and silence.

"Dammit! How is it he is in here two minutes and gets her to talk?!" Riddler huff as he stormed back over to his cot. "Bets off Crane."

* * *

"Hello again Harvey Dent," Doctor Young said as he was escorted into her office. "I see you have returned to us."

"Yea I'm back," he replied, he was now wearing the orange jumpsuit, and still irritated to find his would be killer here.

"I hear you know are Jane Doe is," she stated, going against normal protocol and trying to get information about her mysterious patient. She was Harvey's normal psychiatrist and knew where she could pick up from where they left three months ago.

"Bitch tried to kill me," he stated, getting agitated. Young waited for him to continue, he was pissed off now. Crane and Enigma had questioned him too about her; did no one care about him anymore? "All I know is she's an assassin in Falcone's pocket and they call her S.D. That is everything I know, now can we get back to talking about me this is my session about my problems!"

"Of course Harvey, now what would you like to discuss?" she replied after she finished jotting down her notes.

"I don't feel like talking anymore," he replied, trying to cross his arms, the handcuffs making it difficult.

"Mr. Dent I already have one silent patient I do not need another," Young said as she wrote in her note book.

"Fine," he replied, going for his coin then realizing they took it from him. "I may be willing to talk more if I had my coin returned."

Letting out a sigh of frustration, she hit her pager. "I'll have it returned to you by the end of the day. I had told the guards before to let you have your coin while under my care. Guards please take Mr. Dent back to his cell."


	3. Breakout

The next day the rogues where in the rec room, the Joker had just joined them earlier in the morning after the bat family spoiled his fun at the mayor's house. Harley was still loose so Nigma knew they would all be free shortly, after all Harley couldn't survive long without seeing her 'puddin'. Now here he was sitting watch Crane reading in the corner, Tetch talking to Joker about his new 'Alice', Two-face flipping his coin, and then there was S.D. as they called her now sitting in a corner in her straightjacket.

She had attacked the guards who tried to take it off, so Sharp ordered her to be in it at all times. He was bored, he had read all the books in the room a dozen times, the news was playing clips from Joker's escapades last night, and Crane wasn't talking to him so they couldn't play chess. None of the other rouges could match his wit for chess except Crane, but he was still pissed from the incident at breakfast. If Harley didn't break them out soon he would go insane. Laughing at his little joke, he looked over to Crane who he now notices was looking up over his book at S.D. He let a small smile slip over his lips, this could be fun. Walking over to Crane, he sat down in the chair next to him.

"You think Harley will be here soon," Nigma said, as Crane snapped his book shut and moved to stand up. "Now, now Jonathan what happened at breakfast was not my fault."

"No but you didn't have to encourage _HIM,"_ Crane replied, glaring at Joker who was laughing at some joke he made. "I was picking out oatmeal out of my hair all morning."

"I did not know where his farm joke was going," he replied, as Joker went to steal Two-face's coin which caused a fight and they were both sedated and dragged back to their cells. "He is unpredictable."

"Well next time don't respond," Crane said as he watches Tetch aimlessly wander around the room. "Since we are speaking shall we play?"

They broke out the rarely used chess board. Fifteen minutes later Enigma was looking for his next move when he saw Crane's eyes move quickly to glance at S.D.

"New play thing?" Nigma asked as his white knight took out Crane's black rook. "Check."

"How can I play with something that doesn't do anything?" he replied as his bishop took out Nigma's knight.

"You make it do something," he said as he stared at the board. "Life is a chess game you just need to find the right move."

"I think she's sleeping," he noted as Nigma moved his queen.

"Check," Nigma said as he looked over to her. She was staring over the top of her mask they put back on her after she tried to bite a guard, her strawberry blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her eyes were staring out unblinking, as he watched her chest rise and fall at a rhymed pace of someone who was sleeping. "Can't be healthy for her eyes to sleep with them open like that."

"You left your king open," Crane noted as he moved his knight to take out Nigma's king. "Maybe you should have focused more on the game then her."

"I was distracted by you, who kept staring at her," he growled as he knocked the board and pieces on the floor. "We need to get out of here, I have things to do, places to rob, riddles to leave, a bat to stump."

"Calm down before the guards sedate you they have been syringe happy lately," Crane informed him as he noticed the guards' attention on them. "They will probably knock me out just for sitting next to you while you are agitated."

"I'm not agitated," he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm bored."

"Then go pick a fight with Jarvis," Crane said as the guards came in to take them back to their cells.

Nigma watched as a guard approached S.D. and she blinked once before she stood to be lead out with the rest of them. Following behind them, Nigma felt her staring at the back of his neck. He would be glad when Harley finally busts them out of here.

* * *

Crane woke up at 3 am hearing scratching noises. Sitting up he looked across the cell from his. The straightjacket S.D. was wearing earlier was lying on the floor, and he could see her shadow moving behind the thin curtain that they all had in their cells for privacy. She was crouched down the scratching noise coming from her cell, he was curious to know what she was doing. Suddenly she stood straight up, dumped something in her hand into the toilet and flushed it. Walking from behind the screen she pressed her index finger against her lips signaling him to be quiet. Winking at him, she picked up her jacket and went to put it back on.

Shaking his head at her antics, he heard something else, a ticking. He then noticed Joker was awake, standing and smiling at his cell door. Realizing Harley must be on her way, he reached for the concealed guard baton he had stolen earlier in the week and hid in his mattress. He was ready to get the hell out of Arkham for a while, hopefully that bat wouldn't find him right away. She was staring at him again; her jacket was hanging loose on her shoulders almost like she knew what was about to happen.

Then ticking stopped, and then there was a pop followed by a loud blast in the hallway outside their ward. Suddenly the wall in the empty cell at the end of the hall crumbled.

"Hi PUDDIN'!" Harley screamed as she entered the cell.

"Harley you idiot you are locked in a cell!" Joker roared as he

"Oh," Harley replied, then she smiled wickedly as she pulled out a big mallet and pressed a button that opened the head of the mallet and a boxing glove burst out slammed against the bullet proof glass of the cell door then ricochet off and smacked her in the face knocking her out.

"Buffoon," Riddler sighed, as his hopes of escape lied unconscious on the floor.

Five of Joker's henchmen chose that moment to break through the wall at the end of the hall. They used a device to unlock the Joker and Harley's cells then his own. After he was free he snatched the device from the henchmen's hands and unlocked Nigma, Dent, and Tetch's cell. He saw S.D. standing at her cell's door, waiting for him to unlock it; he almost just dropped the device and let her stay. The guards where clearing out the debris to enter there ward, he only had moments left when Nigma yanked the device out of his hands and opened her cell door.

"At least someone knows how to be a gentleman," she stated before she ran out of the ward behind Joker's crew.

"You were taking too long," Riddler informed him before they ran out.

He saw there had been multiple explosions throughout the island and most of the inmates of Arkham where running wild. They Rogues of Gotham ran to the run down docks at the back of the island knowing boats waited for them. Knowing their chances of escape from the bat increased if they were all free, they knew to split up once they hit Gotham's shores. Noticing S.D. wasn't on any of the boats, he saw a figure swimming away from then. Foolish girl, he thought but then focused on the city coming closer to him. Seeing the lights of Gotham tinkling off the water, Crane began to think of his next plan to take over Gotham and show them what real fear was.


	4. Window gazer

Crane had set up his lab in an abandon apartment complex in 'No Man's Land' that had been inhabited by Jarvis Tetch. He was now locked back up in Arkham after he went back to find his 'Alice'. From what rumors he heard the poor extern had been so scared by Tetch locking him and her in a closet trying to get back to Wonderland she quit and transferred out of Gotham University and was moving to the west coast.

Crane decided since Tetch wasn't using this space he set up shop. The bat wouldn't bother looking for im hear if he knew about this hideout since Tetch was locked up. This five story shit hole was perfect for him, not many neighbors around to complain about the smell of chemicals. He turned off the Bunsen burner in front of him, and stood up to stretch. Walking over to the window he looked at the run down building across the street. There was a lone light on in the building; a figure was sitting on the couch typing away at a lap top.

"What are you staring at Johnny boy?" Nigma asked as he strolled into the room in his Riddler outfit, twirling his gold question mark staff in his hand.

"Ever heard of knocking," Crane asked as he stared at his neighbor, all he could see was the back of her strawberry blond hair and the top of the silver lap top on the table in front of her. "What are the odds of seeing S.D. again?"

"Slim to none," he replied walking over to the window. "Unless the world wishes to play a cruel joke upon you. That couldn't be her, she would have fled Gotham by now, Falcone put a hit out on her."

"Because of one failed hit?" he asked and Nigma nodded yes. "That's why I never associate with those mob bastards. They think they are better than the rest of us. You didn't leave a riddle that leads to here did you?"

"Of course not," he laughed, as he leaned against the wall. "Batman figured out my riddle before I even got back to my hideout and now I'm hanging out here until he leaves. No I was not followed."

"Terrific," Crane muttered as the light went out across the street. "Same rules as last time don't touch MY stuff!"

"As if I would mess with your little chemistry set," Nigma replied as he walked out of the apartment. "Night neighbor."

Annoyed Nigma was staying on the floor below him; he started to clean up his experiments for the night. Crane knew he owed him one for sharing his hideout with Crane last year. They usually hid each other when the bat was on one of their tails. Nigma and Tetch were the only two other rouges Crane would associate with outside of Arkham. The rest where too brainless for him to deal with, especially after working with Joker the one time, he still had a scar on his left calf were Joker threw a knife at him when Batman foiled his plans.

Damn clown was always so stab happy. It amused him that the true psychopath of the rouges was he only one with a steady girlfriend, of course he didn't count Freeze's wife she was frozen sold she didn't have a choice but to be kept by him. There were plenty of crazy females out there, but none of them could hold his attention long, of course most of them ran in terror from him in the end. Fear was the only emotion he needed a woman to feel, unlike the clown that loved to flaunt how crazy in love Harley was and how she would do anything for him.

He finished cleaning and was heading over to the well-worn couch that he was using as a bed when he saw someone scaling the fire escape across the street. The person was outside the window that had light pouring out moments ago. Watching as they opened the window, he heard a crash from across the street, and the person tried to back out the window. Then the mystery strawberry blond appeared and followed them out onto the fire escape. Pulling out a knife, the person wildly swiped at the woman, who expertly dodged, and then she swung her right elbow into the person's chest stunning and causing the person to drop the knife. Then she wrapped her hands around the throat of the would be killer and choked the life out them. Standing up she looked across the street at him, he would remember those cold blue eyes anywhere. Smiling she gave a small wave before dragging the corpse into her home.

It would be his luck Tetch had a hideout next to S.D., and she saw him watching her. He was still watching her as she shut the window and replaced all the knick knacks and other items on the windowsill. Walking out of view she returned with a black oversized constructer trash bag. She shoved the corpse into the bag and slung it over her shoulder and exited the apartment. He knew she was doing the easy dump. The trash men who worked in 'No Man's Land' never left there trucks and quickly dumped the dumpsters into the truck and got out of this side of town as quick as possible. If the body was ever found it would be in the Gotham dump and no one would know exactly where it came from. The corpse was just another nameless dead in Gotham.

Crane was still standing at the window when she returned. She swept up something broken on the floor by the window before checking all the other windows in the apartment. Standing in the shadows of his own darken apartment, he forgot she knew he was there. Until she went back to the window that faces directly across from his, she winked then closed the curtain. The heavy wool curtain blocked out the light completely, the rest of the apartment went dark a few moments later.

"So it is S.D.," Nigma laughed, startling Crane not that he showed it.

"I thought you went to bed," he commented as he turned to face Nigma who was now dressed in a green long sleeved shirt and jeans.

"I was hungry and have yet to stock my refrigerator," he replied as he fiddles with his pockets. "I was heading to the mini mart open all hours around the corner when I heard noise. Making sure you weren't climbing up her fire escape."

"I allow you to stay here and you are mocking me," Crane replied as he walked away from the window. "Besides when have to ever seen me climb up a fire escape."

"Good point," Nigma replied, and then laughed. "I've also never seen you stare at someone so intently for so long without gassing them up."

"Seeing as I have had to make a whole new batch of fear gas since those punk kids broke into my storage space," he growled, pissed while he was locked up in Arkham all of his fear gas was ruined.

"At least the experience the full effect of you gas," Nigma laughed, he was still loose when the incident happened. "One of the kids still hasn't fully recovered, even after Batman gave them the antidote."

"Yes but four teenagers is not the effect I was going for!" he roared thinking of his ruined plan. "I wanted to see the look on Bruce Wayne's face as I filled his charity ball with fear gas!"

"Always the same with you," Nigma stated, as he turned to leave. "Going after old Bruce Wayne, at least he never fired you."

"No just called my fear experiments a travesty, that I no longer had the talent of a good doctor so I subjected my patients to fear to cover my own failure!"

"Wasn't that Lucius Fox that said that?" Nigma asked as he stopped at Crane's door.

"It was in an interview for the new cure for my fear toxin Wayne Enterprise mass produced," He informed him opening the door and nodding Nigma out. "Wayne had to approve that little speech, I know his true thoughts on my experiments and he will become one for this new batch of fear gas that Batman will have no antidote for. Rich boy will get what is coming to him!"

"Make sure to film it I would love to see Wayne's face twisted in fear," he laughed, there was no love lost between him and Bruce Wayne after he was fired from Wayne Enterprise. "Wayne is such a poster boy for the virtuous citizens of Gotham; he needs to be knocked down a peg or two. He is as bad as the bat."

"Believe me I will," Crane promised then shut the door behind Nigma.

Rubbing his hand through his hair he stifled a yawn. It was past three a.m. by his calculation, he needed sleep. As soon as he lay down on the couch he out like a light.

* * *

**Thank you for the review Booklover1498 I love reading reviews and makes me want to write more!**


	5. Plans

The sun was high in the sky, but the smog and high rise buildings of Gotham prevented it from entering the apartment building Crane was sleeping in. A stray ray of sun snaked its way into the dim lit room and hit Crane square on the eyes. Rolling over, he tried to fall back asleep, having a bad night's sleep on the couch.

"Are you going to sleep all day?" a female voice asked, and Crane woke up, hastily turned to face S.D. who was lounging on the table across from the couch.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he sat up on the couch.

"Well after I gave you a little show last night I wanted to see what was happing over here, quiet boring if you ask me," she stated closing a compact mirror she held in her hand, and slipped it in her jean pocket.

"I didn't ask," he replied grumpily, running his hands through his hair trying to figure out why she really was here.

"Nor did I ask to have a peeping tom for a neighbor," she announced as she stood up. "Tetch never spied on me, never confused me as Alice just ignored my presence across the street. I would ask the same of you as you saw last night I have enough unwanted visitors."

"You're talkative for a person who only uttered about ten words in Arkham," Crane grumbled as he stood and stretched.

"It was nine actually," she corrected as she walked over to his make shift lab. "Looks like a high school chemistry class."

"Because I stole it from the high school," he said coming up behind her to move her away from his lab table.

"I know," she replied walking away from the table to the window. "I do read the papers, and who else would need chemistry equipment. What idiot tries to kill someone this early in the morning?"

"You do have quite a bit of unwanted guest, Falcone's man?" he asked as he moved next to her watching a man climb her fire escape.

"Idiot thinks he can have me killed," she snorted, as the man entered her apartment, backing out when he knocked things off her windowsill and fleeing from the building. "Doesn't matter Falcone is on his way out and Rupert Thorne is climbing his way up to the top of the mob bosses. I just want to be there to see his face when he dies."

"Well this is interesting," Nigma noted as he walked into the room. "Do we always have early morning chats with our neighbors?

S.D. decided to open the window climb down the fire escape as Nigma walked towards them without another word. Crane closed the window after she left.

"Early morning encounters with the assassin kind?" Nigma asked as Crane stormed away from the window.

"Just breaking and entering," Crane grumbled walking over to his lab table to make sure she hadn't touched anything while he was asleep. "She saw me watching her last night through the windows."

"It's a shame she is a mob girl," Nigma noted, then turned to Crane. "Riddle me this, I make you weak at the worst of times. I keep you safe, I keep you fine. I make your hands sweat, and your heart grow cold, I visit the weak, but seldom the bold. Who am I?"

"Fear," Crane replied, know Nigma only asked riddles when scheming. "What are you thinking?"

"Since I have the bank roll to help with your experiments thanks to the generous donations by the First National Bank on 5th what if we team up?"

"I thought we agreed in Arkham our association only goes as far as sharing hideouts and escaping from Arkham," he reminded Nigma, knowing the fragile friendship he had with Nigma could be ruined by one bad scheme. Although his money situation for chemicals was nil, and he did a few more ingredients for his new batch of fear gas.

"We are both rational adults," Nigma pointed out, as he looked back at the window, S.D. had just returned fixing things on her windowsill the man had knocked over. "Plus we can show that girl how superior rouges are to dimwitted mobsters."

"And you say I'm obsessed with her," Crane said as he mixed some chemicals.

"I like new toys as much as you do," he replied as he watched the girl. "Besides good old Bruce Wayne is having a charity ball at the end of the month at his mansion. You get to gas him and I get to rob him, it a win win really. Then we will have an assassin waiting in the wings for the bat to show up. She handles the bat giving us enough time to flee and if she gets left behind then we will know she wasn't as good as everyone thought she was. The bat wouldn't expect the three of us to team up."

"We know nothing about this girl," Crane stated as Nigma smiled.

"I do love a good puzzle," he relied as he walked away from the window. "Leave it to me and I will figure this girl out before we show up at Wayne Manor."

* * *

Nigma walked back to the apartment after being gone most of the day gathering intelligence on the mysterious girl and the party at Wayne Manor. He was once more dressed in his Riddler outfit; after all it was easier to get information as the Riddler. The residents of the underbelly of Gotham seem to have loose lips around the Riddler, and it did help he could locate most informants in one place.

The rouges laughed when Penguin opened the Iceberg Lounge, but it proved useful for backdoor meetings and for finding informants. Penguin went from rouge to a wannabe mobster. It was fine with Nigma less chances of seeing Penguin in Arkham when the bat dragged them back, he always smelled like he lived in a bird cage. He wouldn't be surprise to find out if Penguin slept with the birds.

Quickly making his way up the five stories back to Crane's apartment, he found Crane still mixing chemicals at the table. The apartment reeked of a sour acidy smell; Nigma covered his nose from the assault. He walked over to the window facing S.D.'s apartment and opened it to take a deep breath of the air outside.

"How can you stand that horrid smell," he asked as he stays near the window.

"I don't even notice it anymore," he said through his face mask, then shut off the Bunsen burner in front of him and walk over to the open window for fresh air. "Find out anything interesting?"

"Apparently the building she lives in its own by a female named Deka who rents out rooms to henchmen mostly. The whole fifth floor is off limits except to Deka and S.D. You need a key to get onto the fifth floor the stairwell door is always locked." He informed him as he watch S.D. put on a black trench coat and turned out the lights then left the apartment. "She is still mostly a mystery; we should break into her apartment. It could provide us with some insight, and she seems to be leaving for the night."

"How do you propose we do that?" Crane asked as he looked down into the streets to see S.D. rushing out of the building.

"I have a key to the stairwell," he replied showing him the key. "One of my associates who lives in the building was kind enough to procure it for me. Deka is drunken drug addict, who hopefully won't miss this spare key."

"I'm not breaking into her apartment," he stated, as he looked across to the darken rooms, he was curious what the girl had hidden in her apartment, and she did break into his own.

"It's not breaking and entering if you have a key," Nigma laughed waving the key around.

"Just trespassing," Crane grumbled, knowing this was a bad idea.

* * *

**Thank you again Booklover1498 for the review, I'm glad you are enjoying the story!**


	6. The apartment

He knew he should have let Nigma talk him into this, now here he was standing in the lobby getting yelled at in German by a drunken bitch waving a gun in his face. If she wasn't so comical he would have killed her by now, but she had dropped the clip out of the hand gun twice already proving she was harmless.

"This is going nowhere," Crane replied in a bored tone, ready to leave and go back to his makeshift lab.

"I have an idea," Nigma whispered to him, as Deka screamed at them and he slipped Crane the key. "Once she is distracted slip upstairs, leave the door open and I will follow as soon as I can."

"No," Crane replied, as Nigma bang his fist against the front desk causing the little brunette to jump back her clip falling out of the gun once more this time it hit the floor and bullets spilled everywhere.

The woman bent down behind the desk trying to scoop up the stray bullets, and Nigma nodded his head towards the stairs. Crane found himself climbing the stairs as Nigma distracted Deka, unsure why he was allowing Nigma to order him around. When he reached the third floor he was ready to turn around and walk out, but he was curious to see what was in her apartment. He found himself at the fifth floor in front of a white door with an exit sign above it. Odd there would be an exit sign, unless this was the roof and he somehow missed the fifth floor which was impossible.

Unlocking the door with the key Nigma gave; he opened the door and entered a dim lit hallway with two doors in it. One was directly across from him and the other at the end of the hallway. Trying the door across from him he found it unlocked. He entered the dark apartment and the light went on, motion activated he thought. Finding himself in a hallway with weapons decorating the wall, he opened the door across from him and saw the apartment he first saw her in.

Closing the door he headed to his left down the hallway, opening doors along the way he found a closet full of coats and a bathroom with a washer and dryer in it and a shower stall. At the end of the short hallway he found a huge kitchen with all new stainless steel high end appliances, an island in the middle with two wooden stools, and pots and pans hanging above. The oak cabinets looked to be new as well, and it was spotless except for the package of cookies on the island. Shutting the door he back tracked down the hall and opened another door and found a room full of clothing, shoes, and a make-up table. The clothing ranged from fancy ball gowns to jeans and t-shirts, it looked like a store in there with no one style in it.

Shutting the door he continued down the hall, and found a bedroom with a king sized bed, TV, dresser and book case. Next to that he found a living room with a flat screen TV, game consoles, and a nicer couch then in the room he watched her in, and strangely enough a fat beagle that lifted its head snorted, rolled over on the couch, and started to snore. The TV was muted but he could see the news playing, Killer Moth was caught by the bat tonight.

Backing out of the room he opened the next door and found a small office with a silver laptop and iPad on the desk, he went in to explore more of the desk when he heard a commotion in the kitchen. He made his way quickly back to the kitchen to figure out what was going on. Everything was how it was before except the cookies were missing, and he knew the dog in the living room could not have gotten up there to eat the cookies.

"I found something of yours downstairs," said a voice from behind him.

* * *

Nigma was having fun distracting the poor drunken Deka, who had toss the gun aside and was now threating him with a broom. This was the most laughable situation he had been in all week. He hoped Crane had found the information they needed before S.D. showed back up.

"Get out you Blutige Ziege!" she hissed swinging the broom at him, he ducked out of the way.

"Deka," S.D. shouted as she entered the lobby. "Put the broom down."

"Sid! This crazy question mark guy walked in with… hey where did the other one go?" Deka babbled as S.D. smacked her forehead in frustration.

"Deka go back to work or whatever you do down here," she sighed, as she stared down Nigma.

"Sid is it? Short for Sidney?" Nigma asked, thinking he found out her name as she frowned.

"No she just put an i in S.D., where's Crane?" she replied, as Deka knocked over something behind the counter and started cursing.

"Not here," he replied, as he watched her storm past him and to the stairwell. "Are you just going to leave me in your lobby? Hey! Come back here!"

Nigma hurried up the stairs after her, knowing she wouldn't be pleased to find Crane in her apartment. She stomped through the cracked door at the top of the stairs and entered her apartment and headed to the left. Following her she saw her approach Crane.

"I found something of yours downstairs," she informed Crane as Nigma debated going into the room they were in or exploring the apartment. "I suggest you and your idiotic friend leave immediately."

"I my dear am not an idiot," Nigma fumed as he entered the kitchen.

"You are if you broke into my place," she replied as she pointed to the door. "Now out!"

"No, we are here to make you an offer for a job," Nigma replied as he walked into the kitchen ad sat at one of the stools at the island. "After all I don't think the mob will be requiring your services after that failure and what better than to work with two of the best rouges in Gotham."

"No thanks," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm doing fine on my own with or without jobs from the mob."

"Sid, this is the rouges of Gotham, it's a step up!" said a little sandy blond hair boy who popped out of the cabinets over the sink with a package of cookies in his hands. "Think about it, everyone knows rouges are better than the mob!"

"Kid get out," she ordered, as the boy climbed out of the cabinet and hopped down to the floor.

"Think about it Sid it's a great career move," he told her as he walked over to S.D.

"I do not need career advice from a seven year old," she informed him, as she looked down at him. "Now go!"

"Did you at least get grocery money?" he asked sounding depressed. She pulled a stack of folded twenty dollar bills out of her bra under her shirt and handed them to the kid. "Nice haul."

"Now go!" she commanded once again, and the kid walked out counting the money.

"You have a child who knew," Nigma stated as he processed the new information.

"And a dog," Crane added, and she slapped her forehead again.

"They are both strays," she hissed through her grated teeth. "Now get the fuck out of my HOUSE!"

"You are feeding strays, that cost money I could help if you work for me," Nigma offered as she pulled out a large knife.

"As I said I am doing fine on my own!" she assured him as she approached Nigma. "Now are you going to leave willingly or in pieces?"

"Now, now no need to get violent," Nigma responded as he stood up hands out in front of him. "My offer still stands if you get tired of the mob."

She waved the knife to point at the door. They both left the apartment without another threat. The walk back to their own building was in silence; Nigma couldn't help but be fascinated by what he learned of the girl next door and how to use that information to his advantage. First he knew he had to keep Crane happy after that disastrous encounter in her apartment.

* * *

**Thank you Ripplemist and Booklover1498 for the reviews!**


	7. A little test

It had been a week since they broke into S.D.'s apartment. Crane's new batch of fear gas was ready to be tested and he knew where to find some test subjects. A new assistant in the D.A.'s office had renewed the fight against the mob and Falcone's goons were hiding out at a warehouse at the docks moving out drugs. The bat wouldn't find out until afterwards and he would be long gone from the scene and he would know the effect of his gas.

He slipped onto the roof and looked down at the scene below through the skylight, goons where moving boxes out into trucks at a rapid pace; it was perfect they were totally unaware of his presents. He slipped in through the broken window and onto a catwalk, and moved his Scarecrow mask into place so he didn't accidently dose himself. Silently he moved across the cat walk towards the middle of the room, a commotion in the office upstairs made him halt for a moment.

Looking over he saw S.D. arguing with what appeared to be the head goon. Watching as the goon slapped her cheek and laugh, Crane cringed when he saw S.D. slam a knife into his chest. She was a cold hearted killer and now she was trapped after killing the man, the men below would soon notice. Unsure why he was about to help her, he found himself hurrying to the office and slipping in.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, moving the body to sit up in a chair, his back to the men below.

"Testing my gas," he replied as he hid in the shadows. "I thought Falcone was out to kill you."

"He is, or was apparently no one wants to collect the price on my head," she replied, as she faced the dead man, making it look as though she was talking to him. "Now I have to sneak out of here before those guys down there realize he is dead."

"Look into that biohazard closet and see if there is a gas mask," he told her, and she went over to it, finding a full dingy yellow biohazard suit and a collection of gas masks. "Put it on and watch the fun."

As soon as she had the mask on he threw his gas bombs out into the main room below him. He laughed as he watches the confusion take over the men's face and then their eyes widen in fear. Someone was screaming about spiders as other were crying out to their mothers or God, it was glorious. His gas worked fast and well, he thought as he watched his puppets dance. Feeling eyes staring at him he turned to face S.D. who was silently watching him.

"Why did you help me?" she asked him, her voice was distorted by the gasmask and he was unsure how to answer her.

His answer was lost as he heard glass shattering from the skylight above. Batman and Robin swooped in and Batgirl drove in through the front door on a bat bike with a fan on the back clearing out his gas. Some of the goons who weren't busy cowering in fear started to attack the bat family. Whipping off the mask, she grabs two batons she had on her thigh and prepares for the attack of the bats.

"Scarecrow," he heard Batman call out for him.

"Let the party begin," he laughed as he jumped down to face the bat. "What's a matter bat can't find Joker so you spoil my fun?"

"You are going back to Arkham Crane," Batman said as he went to deck Crane, who easily dodged his attacks.

"What is the big bad bat afraid of?" he hissed as he threw a can of gas in Batman's face.

Batman dodged the can but it landed in the middle of the brawl going on with Batgirl and S.D. Jumping out of the stream of gas without taking a breath, S.D. ran to the other side of the room as Batgirl let out a streak. Smirking under his mask he knew Batman did not come prepared to face him; he was after Falcone's men.

"Looks like the little Batgirl was not prepared for my gas, she has beautiful fearful screams, music to my ears," he taunted as he dodged Batman's fists.

Hitting his back up against the wall he quickly ducked down as Batman's fist connected with the wall leaving a dent. Rolling off to the side he was knocked in the head by Robin's staff. The moment of escape was lost as Batman picked him up by his collar and brought him close he could smell Batman's breath.

"Enough games Crane it's time to go back were you belong," he said before slamming Crane harshly into the wall then handcuffing him.

Hearing sirens outside, the Gotham PD came just in time to clean up after the bat. Batman shoved him roughly into the back of a police van, as Robin dragged S.D. He grinned as Batman yanked his mask off and threw it to the ground. Robin the boy wonder who was a few inches shorter then S.D. shoved her in the back of the van. She got one kick to his left shin before he could back away and let the officer in the van with them.

"Take both of them back to Arkham, Robin take Batgirl back to the cave, I have other business to attend to," Batman ordered before the van doors slammed shut.

The van started up and they drove away from the warehouse and down the streets of Gotham.

"Hey Larry isn't that the girl who Falcone is after?" the driver in the passenger seat said to the officer sitting in the back through the metal divider.

"We aren't taking her to Falcone with Scarecrow back here," he replied, as he held the shotgun so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

"She's got a good price on her head," the driver offered, and S.D. rolled her eyes as she sat back seemingly bored.

"Take her to Falcone and just let me go, you can say we over powered you," Crane offered, causing S.D. to snort in disgust, as the dirty cops silently think about his words.

"We have to lose our escorts," the driver stated, obviously going with the idea, when over the radio a call for help with a standoff with the Joker was heard.

"This is Police transport with Scarecrow on delivery to Arkham giving the all clear to escorts to assist," the passenger said into the radio.

After the 10-4 from the other cars, the driver waited until they were in the clear to divert off course. They drove down a couple of streets before S.D. made her move. Her cuffs clattered to the floor as she leapt across the small space of the van, grabbing the shot gun and shooting at the driver as the officer went for his hand gun. The sound of the gun startled the driver who was speeding down roads and he jerked the steering wheel causing the van to flip over.

Crane heard another gun shot as the van tumbled around and ended up on his side. The accident dented the roof and he kicked the door open. Taking the key off the unconscious officer he unlocked his own handcuffs, noticing S.D. was pinned underneath him.

"A little help," she said in a strained voice as she tried to shove the officer off her.

"Next time don't flip the whole van," he shot back as he helped her get the cop off her and helped her to her feet, noticing her wince in pain. "You alright?"

"Fine," she hissed as she exited the van noticing the crowd growing around them. "Let's get out of here before the bat shows up."

They ran down a side street, the crowd giving them a wide berth as they escaped from the accident sight. Following S.D. they turned down an alley way and she tried to get a manhole cover up.

"The sewers?" he asked as he moved her aside and pulled the manhole cover off.

"Easier to lose them," she replied as she slide down into the reeking sewers below.

"It's a labyrinth down here," he called after her as he followed her down, making sure to replace the manhole cover.

Pulling out a small flashlight she looked at the corner of the wall at the marking on the bricks.

"I know my way around here," she replied as she walked forward, keeping close to the wall careful not to fall into the nauseating polluted water flowing around them. "There is an entrance to my apartment building basement from here. Comes in handy when you are avoiding the law and the mob."

"What about the bat," he asked, hoping they didn't come across Killer Croc as they trudged around the sewers.

"As long as he isn't after Croc he never ventures down here," she replied, making another turn. "Croc is living near the old train station these days; he shouldn't be around this area."

The rest of their journey was made in silence, Crane didn't want to risk coming up against Croc. That was one rouge there was no reasoning with, he would kill you just for looking at him. Making back to her apartment, he had to push open the concealed brick door for her. Shutting the door, he watched her switch off the flash light and rubs her right shoulder; a squashed bullet drops to the ground.

"He shot you," he stated as he picked up the bullet on the ground.

"I wear a special bullet proof shirt," she replied, as he started at her, she shifted under his gaze. "It stops the bullet from entering the body but still hurts like hell."

She walked over to the stairs and walked up to a door and listened for a moment before she opened it. Waving for him to follow they walked into the office where Deka was sitting at a desk passed out and snoring loudly. He followed her out another door that lead to the front desk and door. Hopping over the desk, she waited for him to walk around it.

"Thanks for the assist," she said, and Crane just nodded his head and left. He was still confused why he helped her. Nigma was going to mock him for this.

* * *

**Thank you booklover1498 I hope you enjoy this one as well!**


	8. Blackmail?

"And you just walked away?" Nigma gaped after hearing Crane's story; he could believe Crane helped her instead of gassing her. "You saved her life she owes you. We can use this to our advantage; hold it above her head so she will work with us."

"She did lead me back here without getting caught," he replied, as he watched Nigma pace as the wheels in his mind turned. Crane knew he wouldn't let this go. "We don't need her."

"I know we don't need her, I just want her as a backup," he informed him as he snapped his fingers, thinking about how he could blackmail her. "Let's go over there and demand she repay the debt she owes you by doing this job. Then I won't have to pay her and I get to see her in action."

"I've seen her in action, she's like the stab happy clown without the laughter," Crane said as he leaned back on the couch the sun setting on another day in Gotham. He crashed from all the excitement last night and awoke midafternoon to Nigma showing him a paper article about him and S.D.'s escape in the Gotham Times.

"You saw her take out a goon, how did she fare against the bat?" he asked, as he looked over to her darken window, she hadn't entered the apartment area they could see in since they broke into her place. Nigma was curious what room the girl was in and what other secrets her apartment held. Crane's description of the place left a lot to desire.

"I was dealing with the bat she had the girl and the boy," he replied, trying to think of how she was defeated, he was a little busy to watch what she was doing. "I gassed Batgirl during their fight, and then she had to deal with Robin, not sure how the fight went. Except the boy put her in the van, but not before she kicked him in the shin."

"So you have no idea how the boy beat her, just that he did," Nigma stated as he stared at her building, thinking. "Let's go ask her!"

"She pulled a knife on you last time you visit," he reminded him, as he looked over to the window.

"So we just won't meet her in the kitchen," he answered, turning from the window, and looked down at his street clothes outfit. "I'm going to go get change and we shall visit our little friend."

* * *

They walked in to find Deka behind the front desk, drinking a bottle of Red Stag. She stared at them, and Crane prepared himself for her drunken onslaught of German and perhaps waving a gun in his face. Instead she surprised both of them, taking a swing of her whiskey she pointed to the stairwell.

"She is expecting sie," she said in her thick German accent, then pushed a button under the desk before taking another swig. "Sie know die way."

"Seriously?" Crane gaped as Nigma in his Riddler outfit shrugged his shoulders and started walking up the stairs.

They swiftly walked up the stairs and Crane unlocked the door with the key Nigma had giving him. The stood outside the door to the apartment in the dimly lit hallway.

"Do we knock?" Crane asked before the door opened and the kid popped his head out.

"I was expecting you guys much earlier," the kid said before he opened the door for them to enter. "Sid is in the shower but you can wait in the living room for her."

"What do you mean you were expecting us?" Crane asked as the followed him down the hallway, Nigma was looking at all the weapons decorating the hallway walls.

"To be honest I figured Riddler would use you rescuing Sid from dirty cops to be a part of your scheme and you two would be back to blackmail her," the kid stated before opening the living room door. "I'll let her know you are here."

"Smart kid," Nigma noted as the entered the living room. "This is nice, what is that a 40inch LED flat screen. She sure does know how to live like a mob girl."

"Indeed," Crane replied, as he sat on the couch next to the beagle that lifted her head to stare at him before rolling over and going back to sleep. "I'm sure she will be pleased with you poking around."

"So you weren't joking about the dog. Also I still haven't fully solved this mystery," he replied as he went through her cabinets in the dark stained cherry wood TV stand. "Look at this full of Xbox games, PlayStation, Wii; you think she was a teenager. Ha you should see her DVD collection, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, every single Friday the thirteenth, some random comedies, Monty Python's Flying Circus, really."

"Really, you are going through my stuff," Sid huffed as she entered the room. She was dressed in purple plaid sleep pants and a pink tank top. Her wet strawberry blond hair was pulled back so he could see the angry purple bruise where the bullet had hit her; the rest of her right shoulder looked red and swollen

"Just curious," Nigma replied as he closed her cabinet and walked towards her a smirk on his face. "How's the shoulder?"

"It's been worst," she replied cautiously, her eyes darted to Crane quickly before returning to Nigma's form. "So what is it you want?"

"Your help in killing that bat, but I don't know if you are worth it," he replied as he analyzed her form, waiting for her to do something.

"Well since I'm not worth it you know where the door is," she replied nonchalantly and walked to the oversized recliner in the room, and sat down.

"Tell me how did the bat brat beat you?" he asked her, as Crane rolled his eyes before going back to glaring at Nigma. Crane just wanted to leave and forget she ever existed.

"It's hard to fight someone under the influence of fear gas," she answered simply, and Crane turned to look at her.

"So its Crane's fault you lost the fight?" he laughed, and Crane found his hands clenching into fist wanting to pummel Nigma.

"Of course not, it's my fault for not seeing the gas can before it was too late," she retorted as she crossed her arms. "Luckily I only inhaled a small dose, but it was enough to still be having hallucinations this morning."

"How did you counter the effects?" Crane asked interested in how she offset the effects of his new gas as she seemed to be fine now.

"Smoked a joint," she said as she shrugged her shoulders, wincing slightly in pain. "Figured it would work since it helped calm me down before when I was slipped bad PCP once, and of course I was right. Though I admit I'm still slightly high."

"Batman would never think of using marijuana to counter your gas," Nigma laughed, as Crane watched the girl stifle a yawn.

"It has a calming effect, not sure if it would work if I inhaled more gas than what I did," she stated as she rubbed her shoulder. "What is it exactly you want me to do?"

"Easy," Nigma stated as he walked over to the chair and stood next to her. Crane stared at the scene; the oversized chair she was sitting in made her look like a child. "We are going to crash Bruce Wayne's holiday party. Crane is going to gas up the joint, while I take precious valuables, and you wait in the shadows and kill the bat once you see him. I'll be sure you have a gas mask on so you don't accidently inhale any gas."

"This sounds like a ridiculous plan that's going to end up with us locked back up in the nut house," she snorted, and held up her hands in defeat when Nigma gave her a murderous look. "But what do I know; I just get targets and kill em. Also not to sound rude, but when was the last time you showered."

"We are living in an abandon building with no water," he informed her, sounding offended; none of his goons would dare mention if he had a foul odor.

"Right," she sighed as the beagle trudged over to her feet and plopped down. "Guess Tetch didn't tell you he usually came over to use the showers downstairs. Deka and he are good friends. I'm sure you know there is a shower stall in the bathroom near the kitchen and there is a washer and dryer in there. While we work together I advise you use them to your advantage."

"Do I really smell that horrible?" Nigma asked as he sniffed his shirt.

"Pretty sure my nasal passages have been burned to all hell from you aroma," she replied, and Nigma dropped his jaw in shock as Crane started to laugh. "Well this was a lovely chat but I'm going to go to bed now. I'm sure you know the way out."

"Why are you being so easy about this?" Nigma asked suspiciously as she walked over to an oil painting of sail boats, and moved it aside. There the kid from earlier was looking out a hole in the wall.

"Go do your homework," she told him before replacing the painting. "Because if I do this than you will leave me alone. Good night."

"I did do it," the kid said as he moved the painting to the side the quickly retreated back behind it.

"This is a really odd household," Crane laughed as he watched her leave, the dog following her.

"She said I reeked!" Nigma hissed, as he clenched his fists.

"You do," Crane notified him, and laughed as Nigma stormed out. Getting up he was about to follow Nigma out when the painting moved once more.

"You guys are coming back," the kid asked, peering out if his hole in the wall.

"Sure kid," he replied before he left the room to return to his own apartment.

* * *

**Thank you for the review Booklove1498 and Ripplemist it makes me happy to know you are enjoying my story!**


	9. Morning after

The next morning Nigma took her advice, he was now freshly showered thanks to the shower stall in her bathroom. He did find a disagreeable odor to his clothes that where now in her washer. Sid was still in bed as he walked around her kitchen in wearing the only clean thing he owned a pair of green boxers with black question marks on them. The kid was sitting on a stool reading the newspaper as Nigma raided her fridge.

"I don't think she offered the fridge," the kid commented as he read a story about Joker's latest plot that was foiled by Batman.

"I'm sure she meant to," Nigma replied as he pulled out a carton of eggs. "I'm going to use this deal to my advantage. Grocery shopping is a pain when you don't have henchmen to do it for you."

The kid just shook his head as Nigma prepared himself breakfast.

"Hey kid who's in the show…whoa oh my god," Sid gasped as she walked into the kitchen to see Nigma cooking at her stove, she was still wearing her clothes from last night. "I think I'm still high."

"No you're not," Kid snorted, as he looked over to the business section of the paper. "This is actually happening."

"Why are you in your boxers?" she gaped, still standing in the doorway. "Also seriously isn't that a cliché?"

"Everything else is in the wash, which you did offer. Also I should be flattered someone went to make these and sell them in a store," he told her, as he buttered his toast. "I offered the food to myself."

"Right, so Crane is the one in the shower then," she stated as she tried to sort this all out, rubbing her temples.

"Of course, he smells just as bad as I do, worst because of the chemicals he plays with," he said before taking his eggs out of the frying pan.

"It's too early to deal with this," she giggled, making Nigma think she finally cracked. "This is just too ridiculous."

"Speaking of dealing with things I'm canceling Netflix," the kid said as he was looking over the stocks. "Unless the stocks go up we are just going to be making all the bills no need to add others."

"What is he your financial adviser?" Nigma laughed as he ate his food.

"Kid is better with money than I am," she stated as she went over to the kid and looked over his shoulder at the paper. "Go ahead and cancel it I only had it cause I got a month free, hardly ever use it."

"Good, there are also some other services we may need to cancel if you are feeding two grown men," he said simply as he folded the paper. "Unless you can get a new gig, I'm sure Thorne won't hire you until you kill Falcone. Although you could make them chip in towards food if they are eating here."

"Don't worry about it, I have it under control," she replied, bopping him on the head with the paper.

"Sure you do," kid sighed as he yanked back the paper. "I just don't want to end up back on the streets."

"I can always call children and youth," she offered as he glared at her and stormed off.

"Isn't it the child who usually threatens to call children and youth?" Nigma asked as he put his dishes in the sink.

"Normally, but he's a convict's kid the system dumps those children in the worst foster homes," she replied as she walked over to the Keurig to make a cup of coffee. "I know been there done that, he doesn't want to go back there."

"So he's not your child," he asked as he sat down at the stool the kid had been sitting on.

"I told you he was a stray," she informed him as she pulled out the milk and Crane entered the room clothed in a white t-shirt and jeans. "His mom was a crack head who was a snitch for the mob. The money she made went right to crack, no sympathy for her when I ended her life. Found the kid to be useful so I kept him."

"Who's the father," he asked trying to find answers to the riddles around her home.

"That is not my business to discuss," she shot back at him, ending the discussion about the kid.

"What about your little 'guard' dog?" Crane inquired, changing topics, as she started to stir her coffee.

"Stole her from a cheating mob wife after I killed her, my little beagle is a trophy," she replied before sipping at her coffee. "A lot of things I fill my home with are just trophies from my kills."

"The rest of it is just being a mob girl?" Nigma asked as he leaned forward, and placed his chin on his hands as he analyzed her.

"Of course," she snorted, as she placed her cup down and hopped up to sit on the counter. "Mob mentality is you never know when you are going to die so live it up with the money you earn. It's also a show, flash your wealth and let others know how much you are worth to the mob, even though no one from the mob even knows where my home is. It's hard to break out of a mentality of the group you work with. So about this whole plot you are coming up with, it's at Wayne Manor?"

"Yes, there haven't been many attacks at the millionaire's home lately, can't let him think he is untouchable," Nigma stated as he heard the dryer beep signaling his clothes where done. "I'll be right back."

"Hopefully with more clothes on," she muttered into her cup, causing Crane to shake his head.

"You shouldn't have commented on his stench," he told her, as they stared at each other. "How bad was the gas?"

"It just slowed me down, and freaked the shit out of me when we were in the sewers," she replied as she placed her empty cup into the sink next to her. "Every corner I could swear I heard, smell, and saw Croc, but you didn't react so I knew it had to be the effects of the gas."

"Smell? You can smell Croc down there in that disgusting pit," Crane asked, as she absentmindedly swung her legs that dangled from the counter's edge.

"Yea, he smells more like a swamp then a sewer if that makes sense," she replied, looking down like she was embarrassed she couldn't explain what she was talking about exactly.

"Interesting," he replied, as Nigma reentered dressed in a pale green shirt and jeans. "What happening to intimidation of strangers?"

"She's already doing what I want plus my suit needs to air dry, I've already had it shrunk once buy a dimwitted female," he retorted, as he sat back down.

"That's what you get for letting fan girls hang around you," Crane laughed as he stood up.

"I'm telling you those fan girls are great stress relievers, you would know if you didn't always close yourself up in your lab," Nigma responded, as Crane shook his head and left.

"So back to business," she stated, as she hoped down from the counter. "When is this whole plot going down?"

"There will be a party at the manor on Christmas eve," he replied, as he picked up the sugar bowl and other things on her counter examine them. "I need you there waiting to take down the bat. I rob the wealthy while Crane makes them go mad with fear. Mostly Crane wants to watch Bruce Wayne wither in fear,"

"Obsession can lead to ruin," she stated as she headed towards the door. "I'll see you at the party."

"What does that mean?" Nigma asked as he followed her down the hall. "If you are implying I am not focused, you are severely wrong."

"Just a saying," she replied nonchalantly, as she entered the room that served as her office. "Now if you don't mind I have to figure out how I am going to show up to this shindig. I cannot enter like you rouges guns a blazing, would only harm my reputation further."

"I don't care how you show up, just be there," he retorted before she shut the door in his face.

Walking back down the hall, he let her insolence go as he had better things to do. He had plans to make, thugs to hire, and clothes to take back home. This whole scheme was coming together exquisitely.

**Thank you again to my reviewer booklover1498!**


	10. A test

Crane was working in his apartment, filling canisters for their job next week. Nigma was sulking somewhere downstairs, after they had left Sid's apartment she two weeks ago she had done a vanishing act. The kid said she was working on getting invited to the party, and that they were still able to use the shower per her request. Of course Nigma still ate there, as her kitchen was much cleaner than his.

Placing the last canister on the table he heard a noise coming from the fire escape. Looking over he saw a figure open the window and silently entered, and pulled her black hood of her sweatshirt down before she shut the window. Walking over to his, he stood up, curious why she would make an appearance after two weeks of no contact.

"Preparing for a full assault?" she asked, nodding her head towards the canisters of fear gas.

"Of course," he stated, moving away from the table. "May I ask why you are here?"

"Complications," she stated as she walked over to the door, and poked her head out it listening for a moment before closing it and walking back over. "Making sure Nigma wasn't out there, he creeps me out. Always looking like I'm some jigsaw puzzle that needs to be put together and solved."

"Indeed," he replied cracking a smile and trying not to laugh at her. "So what is this complication you were speaking of?"

"I have gotten myself invited to Wayne Manor for this party you two are busting up," she said as she sat down on the arm of his beaten up couch. "But how I am getting in I really can't sneak in a gas mask. I have a breathing apparatus I've used against knock out gas," she said as she pulled out a mouth piece with two red cylinders on either side no bigger than her palm. "But I don't know if the filters will work against your fear gas."

"So you want to try it out," he asked walking over and picking up a small canister, ad she nodded her head. "We can do it up on the roof. What if your device fails?"

"I have a stash of weed in my apartment," she replied as she stood up. "No time like the present so let's do this."

He grabbed his scarecrow mask, led her out of the apartment, and up the stairs to the roof access. Walking out into the cool night air, he walked over to a spot where if the bat was flying around he wouldn't notice them right away. Grasping the canister, he stared at her as she placed her breathing gadget in her mouth. Place his scarecrow mask on he stared at the female before him, this was a first for him. No one ever asked him to gas them, it was always the opposite, and they begged not to be gassed.

"You sure about this?" he asked his voice distorted by his masks, and she gave him a thumbs up.

Pulling the pin on the can he threw it at her feet as it began to release the gas. He watched as the gas went up in a greenish yellow smoke and curled around her face before being blown away by the gentle breeze in the air and dissipates. They stood there for about two minutes while the can emptied its gas. Finally the can discharged all of its gas, and Sid waited for a moment before removing the device from her mouth.

"Did it work?" he asked as he removed his own mask, waiting for her to freak out.

"It did," she laughed as she put the device back in her pocket, a smile on her face. "I knew it would work but I'd rather make sure before the whole plan went to shit because of me not making sure my equipment works."

"That is a very good idea," he replied as he held the door opened to the stairwell and finding Nigma standing in there.

"Well now isn't this interesting," he said, as he twirled his cane. "Here I am about to go out for some last minute prep and here are the two of you meeting on the roof at night. How sensual with the starlight and the smog in the air, now what are we doing up here?"

"Making sure I don't get gassed," she huffed as she stormed past him and tried to make it down the stairs but he grabbed her arm.

"Well we should at least discuss where you have been these last few weeks," Nigma said as he linked elbows with her and hauled her back into Crane's apartment.

"Doing my job," she huffed as he tossed her onto the couch, furious she wasn't giving her the full answers he was inquiring about. "I told you I don't just show up to a job I get invited, I go there like I belong there not make a scene!"

"Well I wouldn't be so apprehensive of you if you would at least tell me exactly what you were doing and how you were getting into this party," he told her as Crane entered the apartment shutting the door behind him.

"Just because I agreed to work with you doesn't mean I am going to tell you how I do everything," she hissed at him as she stood up only to have Nigma push her back down.

"I am the boss here and you will tell me everything," Nigma demanded of her, and Crane watched as she clenched her fist and gave Nigma a glare, her blue eyes shimmered with murderous intentions.

"Edward isn't there somewhere you have to be?" Crane asked trying to defuse the situation; he did not want blood all over the couch he slept on.

"Undeniably I do," he stated, a frown on his face before he snapped his fingers. "You maybe better at getting answers from her Johnny boy. If not keep her here I'll be back before the sunrises."

"Are you really going to try and keep me here?" she asked, as she crossed her arms after she was sure Nigma was gone.

"I do not follow Edward's orders," he stated as he walked over to her. "Furthermore I do not believe you will freely give him the information he seeks. I do not want blood on the couch I sleep on nor the annoyance of you two squabbling, so no I will not try and keep you here."

"Why are you working with him?" she asked as she stood up facing him. "I mean you seem more like the work alone type."

"Normally I am," he replied as he followed her over to the window she entered. "But both of us have a disdain for Bruce Wayne, so we have started an alliance for this one plot."

"I think your work is much more tactful," she responded as she opened the window. "This is my first team up with rouges. You must understand why I am nervous. None of the rouges have ever proven themselves trustworthy, except for Harley to the Joker but not vice versa. Just be forewarned I do not take betrayal lightly."

"Betray us and I'll make sure I gas you enough you could smoke the entire weed supply you own and it wouldn't help," he retorted, causing her to smile.

"I wouldn't expect any less from you Scarecrow," she stated, before pulling her hood up and exiting the apartment, making sure to close the window behind her.

The nerve of her expecting him to betray her, as if he didn't prove himself by helping her escapes the dirty cops. If anyone had anything to prove it was her, she was the one making secret plans. Grabbing a canister, he hid it in the floor boards under his couch. He planned to use it on her if she did decide to betray them he would make sure she knew fear.

Waiting for Nigma's return, he had fallen asleep on the couch sitting up. Hearing his door slammed, he looked at Nigma still dazed from his nap. Nigma walked over to him and just stood in front of him trying to look intimidating, but Crane could only laugh at his attempt.

"It appears you let her leave," Nigma stated as Crane stood up and stretched.

"You weren't going to get the answers you sought," Crane yawned, as he walked away from her. "Why waste the effort she will be there."

"You are soft towards the girl," Nigma noted, as he picked a canister off the table.

"Can you go five minutes without touching my things?" Crane huffed as he carefully yanked the canister away from Nigma. "Also I am not soft towards her."

"You are the Crane I know would have tied her up and demanded answers like I do," he replied, about to grab another canister only to have his hand smacked away.

"I do not need you accidently releasing fear gas in my home," Crane sneered as he put the can gently back down on the table. "I also I do not need answer to your questions, the girl will do what she will."

"You worry too much," Nigma replied, waving a dismissing hand at him, before he laughed at him.

"What's the big joke?" Crane asked as Nigma continued to laugh wiping a tear away from his eye.

"Oh you'll find out," Nigma replied, still laughing. "You may love fear but is there something you fear to love?"

"Stop speaking in riddles," Crane ordered as Nigma laughed louder as he left. "You're crazier than the damn CLOWN!"

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman.**


	11. The manor

It was finally show time. Nigma had his goons knock out security as they made their way towards the mansion door. He had not seen any sign that Sid was here, he knew he should have interrogated her instead of leaving it to Crane. Although Crane did fail his test, the girl was gone long before he had return. For right now he have to let all thoughts of that slide for now and focus on the mission at hand.

It was time to show Mr. Billionaire playboy how untouchable he was. Knocking on the front door with his cane, he only waited for a moment before his butler opened the door. Knocking the old man off to the side he twirled his cane as he strolled in and went straight for the ballroom.

"Riddle me this," he called out causing the guest to stop what they were doing and stand off to the side making a circle for him to enter as his goons went around taking jewels, watches, cash, and other valuable they had on them. "What is more freighting then the Riddler robbing you blind?"

"Riddler," came the gruff voice of Batman as he entered the room through the second floor balcony.

"Should have answered my riddle BATMAN!" Nigma taunted as he and the goons put on their gas masks.

"The answer is a dose of FEAR!" Crane screeched as he entered the room letting his canisters of fear gas free all over the ballroom, which was quickly filling with his gas and screams of fear.

Batman was caught off guard, and was battling the fear gas when someone came behind him. His assailant was caught off guard when the young Robin entered the room and knocked her off her feet. Furious, Nigma knew his plan for Batman's death was ruined, and signaled for everyone to leave. He heard the young boy cry out in pain followed by a woman dressed in high heels and a tight black dress ran past them and escaped in a black dodge charger with tinted windows.

As she sped off, Nigma wondered if that was Sid who past them, her face looked nothing like the girl he had in his pocket. Nightwing was chasing the charger down on his bike as they piled into their getaway van and sped away from the manor. The Batmobile wasn't far behind as the swerved through the streets of Gotham.

"Did you see Wayne?" Nigma asked as they shot at the Batmobile's tires.

"No," Crane growled, as he launched a grenade at the car. "Looks like Sid has failed us."

"From the sound of it I think she got the young bird good if that was her running out," he replied, as he held onto his seat nearly tumbling out of the van after a sharp right turn. "Be careful you buffoons!"

"The face didn't look like hers," Crane replied as the charger from earlier came into view and sideswiped the Batmobile.

The Batmobile swerved into a building and came to a halt, as the charger went around the van and sped off. Nigma and Crane laughed at their good fortune, until they heard shots and their tire exploding. The van flipped and they were thrown out of the back of the van. On her bike sat Batgirl, smirking at them as Nightwing wrangled in the goons trying to escape.

"Looks like you boys are going back to Arkham," Batgirl gloated as Batman approached the scene.

"I don't think so," Sid called out from an alley way now dressed in tight black leather pants and a leather corset top. She was holding a bazooka, and fired it at Batgirl, who tumbled off her bike and ducked behind trash cans as her bike exploded. "Is the little bird still home nursing a knife wound to the gut?"

"You'll pay for what you did to him," Nightwing called out before trying to attack her, she skillfully dodged his punches before landing her own to his gut.

Nigma rolled away from the van and saw his henchmen slinking away with the loot. He knew they would keep his cut or they would die when he found them, and they knew he would find them. Picking up his cane he smacks Batgirl as she came after him. Laughing, he dodged her attacks as Crane went after Batman. Diving out of the way of Batgirl's kicked he kept his focus of skirting her attacks trying to tire her out. He was succeeding until he backed into a trashcan that knocked him off balanced and he found himself handcuffed around a streetlamp.

Crane was faring better, as he got a dose of fear gas into Batman slowing him down. Sid was swiping a knife at Nightwing's midsection which he was dodging. Struggling against the handcuff, he turned to see Crane being thrown across the street and kicked by Batgirl before being handcuffed to the same lamppost.

"This sucks," Nigma said as all three of the bat-family surrounded Sid, who flipped over Nightwing and started to run. "And there she goes."

"What did you expect," Crane grunted as he watched Nightwing and Batman chase after her. "If I knew I was outnumbered I'd run too."

"Don't worry boys she'll be joining you in Arkham soon enough," she smirked as the paddy wagon showed up to take them and the few goons they had caught away to Blackgate and Arkham.

They were carted into the back of the paddy wagon and they were riding in silence back to Arkham. Within the hour they were back in there cells still wearing their torn costumes. Looking around they saw Tetch, Joker, and Harley were locked up as well. Soon Nightwing dragged in a struggling handcuffed Sid whose left eye was starting to swell.

"Count yourself lucky girl," Nightwing growled as he un-cuffed her then shoved her roughly into the cell and slammed the door shut.

"As if a cunt like you could beat me on your own," she hissed back, as she struggled to get up off the floor. "Your master always there to bail out the weak little boy, or do you beg him for help on your knees like the bitch you are!"

"Nightwing," Batman bellowed from the shadows, and Nightwing walked out of their ward without another word.

"What did he do to you?" Crane asked as an orderly shoved an ice pack in her cell and left.

"Used the trip rope to trip me and I fell into a metal fence head first," she snarled as she put the pack to her eye. "I would of out ran him if Batman didn't get involved."

"Yes and let us rot in here," Nigma stated, as he laid back on his bed waiting for them to come in and put them in the Arkham jump suits.

"I would have come for you," she muttered as she sat down on the bed, holding her side. "Now we are all stuck here for now anyway."

"You have a plan?" he asked, but her reply was lost as three orderlies came in and walked in front of her cell.

"Place your hands on the wall," the one ordered, as one of the others punched the code to let her out.

She complied, as they entered her cell. As soon as they tried to put her arms behind her head, she knocked two of them down and grabbed the Taser out of the other orderly who trying to taze her. Tazing him, she handcuff the guard to her bed, as another orderly jumped at her. Slicing his throat with a dagger she had hidden in her boot, the other orderly held up his hands. Walking out of the cell she shut the door and quickly unlocked Nigma and Crane's cell.

"You know the code?" Nigma asked as she freed the other three.

"Memorized it last time we were locked up," she replied as she walked over to the newly rebuilt wall at the end of the ward.

Lifting up her right boot she took off the heel and took out plastic explosive putty and placed it on the wall. She out a string on the end, retrieved a lighter concealed in her other boot and lit it then backed away from the wall hiding behind a cell door.

"What else do you have in those boots," Joker laughed as the rest of them hid behind the open cell doors before the wall exploded and crumbled.

"Nothing I'd tell you about," she replied as she ran to the spot where the boats had been last time and there was Deka in a speed boat waiting for them. They were back in Gotham before the guards had a chance to pursue them.

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman.**


	12. A little walk

"Deka go ditch the boat," Sid ordered as Joker and Harley ran off into the night, there laughs echoing off the abandon warehouses around them.

"Thank you for the breakout, but I must be off to go find Alice," Tetch said as he kissed the back of Sid's right hand then laughed and skipped off.

"This night just keeps getting better," she muttered as Deka sped off leaving her with Nigma and Crane.

"Would you have really broken us out if you were not captured yourself?" Nigma asked as they walked down the docks towards the streets.

"Of course it would look bad if I let the people I hire end up stuck in jail," she replied as she put the ice pack she took with her back on her face. "Can't have my rep soiled anymore."

"All about reputation with you mob girls," Nigma noted as she tried to pulls a man hole cover up, then grabbed her right side.

"Shit," she hissed as she pulled back her hand revealing blood. "Damn kid got me."

"The Bat-family hates when you injure their own," Crane said as he pulled the cover up.

"We aren't really going through the sewers," Nigma said in disgust as Sid climbed down the ladder.

"You can stay on the streets if you want, I'm sure Batman will be looking for us," she said as she climbed down into the dark sewer.

"He won't be expecting us down here," Crane replied as he followed her down the hole. "Especially with Croc locked up in Arkham right now."

Nigma followed them down into the sewers and closed the lid. Sid led them around the sewers, still clutching her right side with her left hand trying to stop the bleeding; she held a flashlight in her right looking at her marks. They walked in silence for a few blocks when a man jumped out in front of Sid and she tazed him with the Taser she stole from the guard.

"Is that Ratcatcher?" Nigma gaped as Crane went to steady Sid, who was looking woozy from blood lose.

"He hangs out down here sometimes the creep," she muttered, as she struggled to walk forward. "We aren't far from the apartment building."

They made the rest of the trip back to the apartment in silence. Making it back to her apartment, she had Crane push open the concealed brick door for her again. Entering the spare room Nigma looked around the bare room as Sid listen at the door.

Slowly opening the door she peered out and moved quickly into the office then she headed up the stairs, Nigma and Crane following behind her. Reaching up she took a key from the exit sign and unlocked the door before putting the key back. Walking into her apartment she went right to the bathroom to take care of her wounds, the kid followed her in with a first aid kit.

"This has been a very interesting night," Nigma said as he walked down the hall towards the living room. "Bat family attacking us, Arkham, sewers, Ratcatcher getting tazed. I will have to collect our loot tomorrow when the bat has no shadows to lurk in."

"The bat will have bigger problems looking for Joker, he is the favorite," Crane joked as he sat on the couch next to the still sleeping dog.

"That dog rarely moves," Nigma stated as he turned on the TV to see Vicki Vale reporting on the night's events.

"There are still fifteen reported missing after the attack on Wayne Manor this evening including assistant D.A. Jackson Wyatt and his date an attorney from Philadelphia Miss. Rebecca Conrad. Butler and personal spokesperson for Wayne Manor Alfred Pennyworth released a statement earlier that Mr. Wayne does not agree with the action of the Scarecrow and Riddler tonight and gives his full support to the Gotham PD and the Batman in a quick recovery of those missing and the capture of those involved. He also states that Bruce Wayne and his wards were unharmed in this evening event."

"Typical," Nigma sighed as he turned off the TV and the kid poked his head in.

"Since you two should be out tonight do you want me to go over to your apartments and get you clothes?" the kid asked looking a little green in the face. Nigma looked down at his dirty Riddler costume.

"Sure why not," Nigma replied and the kid disappeared quickly. "Well looks like the bat may be looking for innocent victims instead of us, I'm going to head down to the second floor and see if any of my henchmen are there or if they all have been caught."

"You are going to make a business transaction so soon after escaping Arkham," Crane replied as he reclined back on the sofa.

"I'm not afraid of a big bad bat," Nigma snorted as he walked to the door. "Plus I don't even have to leave the building to make this transaction."

"Idiot," Crane snorted and shook his head in disbelief as Nigma made his exit.

He didn't think now was a good time to be looking up henchmen after an escape from Arkham. Being arrested and escaping in the same night was an accomplishment few rouges have ever made, especially if the entire bat family was involved. Growing bored Crane decided to head to the kitchen and raid Sid's food supply. As he walked past the bathroom he heard something fall to the floor and Sid cursing.

"Goddamn fucking vigilante!" Sid huffed as Crane knocked on the cracked open bathroom door.

"You alright in there?" he asked as he pushed the door opened. Sid sat on top of the washing machine clad in her black pants from earlier and a pink camo bra. Bandages were scattered on the floor and she was holding a blood soaked gauze pad on her right side wound.

"Just great," she huffed, as Crane tried not to laugh at the situation. "I would get cut in one of the worst places to self-bandage."

"How bad did you get cut?" he asked, curious because all he knew was she was bleeding having never saw the cut for himself.

"It's a straight slice the length of my hand," she replied moving the gauze for him to see. "The bad thing is I have no idea how this happened."

"Maybe when you fell," he replied as he walked over to her examining her wound.

He was use to helping Nigma when he got himself banged up like this. The bat family was vicious when it came to the male rouges. They weren't this violent towards females. Sid must have struck a real nerve for Nightwing to come after her with vengeance.

"Mistake one was stabbing Robin," she sighed, as Crane went through her first aid kit. "Apparently Nightwing didn't like me incapacitate his little buddy."

"They are very protective of each other," he said as he opened a package of butterfly ban-aids that were like quick stiches without the needle and thread.

"Strangest night of my life," she muttered as Crane went to work on bandaging her wound.

"How so?" he asked as he continued his work.

"I have the much feared Scarecrow giving me first aid after a fight with Nightwing," she sighed as she sat u straight making his task easier. "If I was still working for the mob I wouldn't be on Batman's radar."

"You have to admit going rouge is much more fun," he laughed, and she stifled a laugh trying not to move the area he was fixing.

"It is," she replied.

**Thank you to my reviewer cronic sandman. Sorry for the delay!**


	13. Mystery

Nigma strolled up the stairs, still counting his cash. He knew half of it was Crane's but he loved counting it, the feel of it in his gloved hands was wonderful. The best was this was only part of it; his goons were going out tomorrow to pawn the jewelry, watches, and other valuables. They had gotten away with an amazing heist at Wayne Manor and he was feeling good about life and was starting to plot his next master plan.

Walking into Sid's apartment, he saw the kid coming out of the bathroom reeking of bleach. Wrinkling his nose at the kid who was shutting the door, he went to walk past him.

"I left your clothes in the living room," the kid said before disappearing into the kitchen.

Making his way towards the living room, Nigma was still counting his money as he thought about the kid. It was still a weird situation to him with the kid living here almost like a slave to him. As he approached the living room he heard laughter. Thinking it was odd hearing two sets of laughs he opened the door to see Crane and Sid sitting on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn in between them laughing at the TV.

"Well now what's going on here?" he asked as he walked into the room folding the money and putting in in his hat.

"Watching horror movies," she said before laughing at the scared female on the TV who climbed out a second story window and was crawling on the roof. "She should of climb up to the top of the roof the idiot not try and get back into the house!"

"People cannot be this idiotic they are running right back into the killer's hands," Crane commented as Nigma picked up his clothes sitting on a chair.

"Well I'm going to go take a shower and leave you two love birds alone," he laughed as he walked back to the bathroom the kid has just left.

Entering the bathroom he was assaulted by the stench of bleach. It reminded him of Arkham whenever they tried to clean anything they would just spray it with bleach and call it a day. He had plan on taking a long shower but was in and out faster than he would have liked, but the bleach smell was assaulting his nostrils. As soon as he was dressed he walked back into the living room to find Crane sitting alone on the couch reading a book as the TV played some show on a cable network but was muted.

"Date not go so well?" he teased as he sat down next to Crane.

"It wasn't a date, we were waiting for you and where is my money?" Crane replied in a bored tone as he snapped the book shut.

"In my hat," he huffed as he grabbed his hat off the table next to him and handed Crane his cut. "That's only the cut from the cash; the rest should hopefully be cashed in by tomorrow."

"Is it wise to pawn the items this soon?" he asked counting the cash Nigma had given him.

"Johnny boy you usually like to just scare the shit out of people. While you are robbing them of their senses I rob them of their items I think I know what I am doing," Nigma grumbled as he reclined back on the couch. "You should learn not to question me."

"Remember not to question the Riddler got it," he stated, trying not to laugh.

"Oh shut up," Nigma snarled as he stood up. "I'm going back to my apartment, screw being afraid of the bat."

"Why risk it, there is a blow up mattress right there," he told him pointing to the blow up mattress in the corner with a pillow and blanket on in. "If you get caught how am I going to get the rest of my cut."

"Fine," Nigma sighed as sat down on the mattress. "Beats sleeping on that beat up mattress in my apartment.

Crane and Nigma were soon asleep, Crane crashing on the couch. Nigma found himself awaken but unsure of why. Getting up he noticed the time, it was only 5am he had only been asleep for two hours. Crane was still asleep when he walked out of the living room and walking down the hallway he heard a commotion in the kitchen.

"You aren't supposed to be here," he heard the kid's voice say.

"So what," said an unknown female voice. "She won't care, besides I'll be gone soon enough. Didn't you hear the exciting news? I'm starting Gotham U this coming spring semester and I need a place to crash before I can get into the dorms. Since I keep most of my clothes here and have a room why not visit my favorite sister and her juvenile freeloader…"

"I earn my keep," he interrupted her, and Nigma could hear her laughing at him.

"Keep telling yourself that," she snickered and he heard clicking of heels coming closer to the door.

Hiding in the open doorway of the bathroom he hid in the shadows as a young female teenager walked by in a short black tube dress and sliver pumps and walked into the room he knew was used as a closet. Once she was gone Nigma made his way to the kitchen to talk to the kid. Entering the kitchen he noticed it was empty. He was confused as the only door in the kitchen was the one he just entered.

Leaving the kitchen he silently walked down the hallway and peeked into the open door of the closet and that was empty as well. He knew there were secret passageways the kid use but what else did he not know about the apartment. This apartment was now a mystery he needed to solve, he loved new mysteries. Walking into the closet he noticed it was just a giant room filled with clothes, shoes, and other accessories and a trifold mirror in the right back corner.

"What are you doing?" Crane asked as he stood in the doorway.

"Looking for something," Nigma replied as he walked out, taking one last look into the room seeing if he missed anything.

"For what?" Crane asked as he followed Nigma back into the living room.

"Now who's the nosey one?" Nigma laughed as he turned on the TV to the morning news. "Looks like they found everyone except the assistant DA's girl."

"Avoiding the question typical," Crane muttered as they watched the news.

"I'm unraveling a mystery and I don't need to consult you," Nigma noted as he looked around the room and went over to the painting the kid had been behind the pervious times. Pushing it to the side he found wall. "This is like a damn fun house. Holes and people keep disappearing."

"If I get lucky maybe you'll disappear," Crane announced and Nigma rolled his eyes.

"Aren't you even a little curious about all this?" Nigma asked as Crane picked up the book he was reading last night.

"Nope," he said as he started to read and ignore Nigma.

"Fine, I'll solve this without any of your help," Nigma huffed as he put the painting back into place. "As I've said before you are soft on the girl. Stop ignoring me! You are so fustrating."

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman.**


	14. Friendly Chat

Crane had fallen asleep again sitting up and his neck was stiff. Crane wasn't anywhere in sight and he figured he should find him before he got himself into any trouble. Walking out into the hallway he saw Nigma listening at the kitchen door. Nigma saw him approach and made a signal to be quiet. Rolling his eyes he went to stand next to him about to pull him back into the living room to tell him off then he heard the conversation.

"I'll deal with it," he heard Sid's voice laced with anger. "She'll be out of here soon enough so don't worry about it."

"What about the other two, what are they going to start living here too?!" came Deka's voice heavy with her German accent. "I told you not to listen to the kinder but you always let him cloud your judgment."

"Leave the kid out of this," Sid ordered, and they hear a scrapping of the wooden stool across the tile floor. "You are just a handler."

"And you are a spoiled brat!" Deka huffed, and then a slap was heard.

"Fucking bitch!" Sid cried and there where banging of pots and pans while a struggled was heard.

"What is going on in here?" Nigma laughed as he walked into the kitchen. Deka's hands were around Sid's neck as she was lying on her back on the island; Sid posed on top of her with a steel pot in hand looking ready to bash Deka's head in.

"Just a friendly discussion," Sid said as they disengaged from each other.

"Hundin," Deka cursed as she stormed out past Crane and Nigma.

"That was friendly?" Nigma laughed, as Sid rubbed her abused cheek. "Remind me not to be around when you have an unfriendly chat."

"Is she gone?" the kid asked as he poked his head out of the pantry.

"Yes you're safe. That's for the back up," she mumbled as she walked over to the freezer and pulled out an ice pack.

"I'm not going up against that psycho," he replied before receding back into the pantry slamming the door.

"Is that just a pantry?" Nigma asked as he went over and opened the door to find the kid gone. "Now, now this is interesting."

"Is he really examining my pantry right now," Sid sighed as she held the ice pack on her face, and Crane righted the fallen stool near the island and sat down.

"He doesn't like mysteries," Crane said as cans crash down in the pantry and rolled out.

"He's going to tare that pantry apart isn't he?" she huffed as more cans rolled out. "Pull the damn light cord."

"There is a whole another apartment back here!" Nigma called out cheerfully.

"Yes that's the kid's apartment," she answered as she put her ice pack down and rubbed her temples. "Now can you please fix my pantry?"

"I have to explore the closet!" Nigma stated as he ran out of the room.

"He doesn't want to find what's in the closet," she muttered as she picked up the fallen cans on the floor.

"What is in the closet?" Crane asked her as she shut the pantry door.

"Well unless he finds it I'm not telling," she teased as she started making herself a cup of coffee.

"I take it Deka is not happy with us being here," he noted changing topics. Crane had enough knowledge of this girl that unless she wanted you to know she was not going to tell you anything.

"She thinks I am being careless," she replied as she stirred her coffee. "Apparently you both are going to kill me as I sleep."

"She has a point, we could," Crane said as the kid came in with a paper in his hand.

"You let him find my apartment," the kid growled as he slammed the paper down. "If he comes back there I'll shoot him."

"I'll warn him," she replied as the kid went back to his apartment. "He's going to sulk for a while."

"If you didn't break us out I'm sure Nigma would be sulking right now too," Crane stated as he picked up the paper reading the headline 'Rouge's of Gotham on the Loose Again!' with a picture of all their mug shots underneath. "Made the front page."

"First time for everything," she laughed as she put her empty cup in the sink. "I'm use to staying out of the paper."

"How is the wound?" he asked as he opened the paper and read the articles.

"Much better than last night," she informed him, as she looked at the mug shots on front of the paper. "That is a terrible mug shot."

"They don't get better," Crane laughed as he watched her walk back over to the counter.

"Where is the damn switch," Nigma said as he rushed back into the room, ruining Crane's one on one moment with Sid.

"If you can't find it that's not my problem," she said before walking out.

"Shouldn't you be working on your next scheme?" Crane asked as he continued to read the paper. "This report says that this latest team up by Riddler and Scarecrow was weak and they would still be stilling in Arkham if not assisted by an unknown female rouge that is new to the Gotham City Rouge scene. They called us weak, are we going to let them get away with that?"

"What do they write about gold old Bruce?" Riddler asked as he yanked the paper our of Crane's hands. "Bruce Wayne was the victim of a terrible crime. Of course he is a victim, poor little rich boy wants a pity party, disgusting."

"How shall we retaliate?" Crane asked as Nigma angrily crumbled the newspaper.

"I'll do a little research and I'll come up with a marvelous plan," he replied as he threw the paper into the trash. "You just make sure to have plenty of gas. Wayne won't know what hit him!"

"I'll get a fresh batch started," he informed Nigma.

Watching Nigma leave Crane smiled. He knew he had to get Nigma focused on something else before he tore Sid's house apart to find out all her secrets and Sid ended up stabbing him. This was going to be an interesting week.

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman. Hope you guys enjoyed this one as well.**


	15. Excuses

Crane had just finished making another batch of his current fear gas formula when Nigma entered his apartment. Ignoring the man as he entered twirling his question mark cane, Crane capped the last canister he was working on. Nigma tapped his cane on the floor, trying to get Crane's attention.

"What do you want?" Crane asked, gently putting the canister in his hand down on the table.

"I've figured out a new scheme, but I need some help getting intel on a charity ball the Wayne Foundation is holding at the Zoo," Nigma stated as he walked around Crane's lab table analyzing the contents of the table. "I thought our little neighbor would be perfect for the job."

"So go ask her," he told him, as he stood up and wiped his hands on a towel.

"I would except she likes you better," Nigma informed him as he tapped Crane on the chest with his the tip of his question mark cane. "She would be much more accommodating to the plan if you asked her instead of me."

"No," he replied, and walked towards the door ready to kick Nigma out. He hadn't talk to Sid in over a week since he left her apartment the day they broke out of Arkham. Unsure of the reception he would get from her, Crane had decided to just stay away and focus on his fear gas.

"Come now," Nigma said twirling his cane as he followed Crane. "Haven't you been dying for a chance to go speak to her?"

"No," he said again and yanked the door opened; hoping Nigma would get the hint. Hating the fact Nigma even suspected he wanted to see Sid again bothered him. Nigma was not allowed to scrutinize him.

"You want this little plan of ours to go off without a hitch," he told him as he stopped before the door and leaned on his cane. "We need her help."

"Do we really or are you looking for another chance to raid her apartment?" Crane inquired, he couldn't believe he was even considering going back to Sid's apartment.

"A little of both," he replied handing Crane a manila envelope. "The target I need the information on is in there."

"You'll assume I'll do it then," he retorted as he swiped the envelope out of his hand and peeked in side. "Nigma."

"Consider this another test for our new friend," he told him as he saunters out of the apartment.

"Unbelievable," Crane muttered before grabbing his coat and heading out of the apartment.

Crane was acting like Nigma's errand boy and he was furious about it. Though Nigma was right Crane was looking for a reason to see her again, but this was just ridiculous. Entering the apartment building Crane found Deka behind the desk.

"She's not here," she told him, her accent seemed thinker and Crane noticed the bottle of Vodka next to her.

"Where is she?" he asked standing in the middle of the lobby. His question was answered when a woman bundled up in a black hoodie and suede coat walking a beagle.

"Crane, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit," she asked as she pulled back her hood and removed her ear buds.

"Nigma has another scheme and wants your help," he told her as she unhooked the dog from her leash and the dog started to trudge upstairs.

"So he sent you instead of coming himself," she laughed as four men with face paint on walked in.

"You have some of Joker's crew living here?" he asked as he watched them disappeared up the stairs.

"I don't care who they work for as long as they pay the rent and don't cause any trouble within the building," she said as she took off the suede coat and handed it to Deka. "Thanks you were right it was colder than I thought out there."

"You should leave the apartment more," Deka said as she took the coat and disappeared into the office for a moment before quickly returning.

"Shall we go upstairs and talk about what Nigma wants this time?" she suggested as she headed towards the stairs.

"Vertrauen Sie nicht, dass Blutige Ziege!" Deka screeched from behind the desk as Sid lead Crane upstairs.

"Beruhigen," Sid shouted back at her before rushing upstairs.

"What did she say?" Crane asked as she opened the stairway door to let the dog in.

"Oh just not to trust the bloody goat," she said nonchalantly opening the apartment door. "I told her to calm down she is overly suspicious of people, so don't take it personally"

"She called me a goat?" he gaped as he entered her apartment and she hung up her hoodie and scarf in the closet.

"Eh it's her go to insult, feel lucky she usually calls me a bitch or whore," she informed him as she headed towards the living room. "Just ignore her, I usually do."

"Why do you put up with her?" he asked as they sat down on the couch.

"Easy," she replied as she got comfortable on the couch. "Because if I had a different handler I would have been packed up and out of here as soon as I got out of Arkham and in some other dumbass town starting all over. It's easy to do what you want when your handler is drunk or high all the time. Other handlers are so much stricter. As you probably can tell I don't like being told what to do. Speaking of which what is it Nigma wants me to do?"

"It's all in the envelope," he stated then handed her the envelope Nigma had given him. He let her look over the photos and note in the envelope as he sat there and stared at her. She was in jeans and a black t-shirt, just regular street clothes, she should look harmless, but he knew otherwise. What was it about this girl that made him want to come back to this apartment?

"Seriously he wants me to spy on Barbra Gordon," she laughed as she held a candid snapshot of Barbra and Dick Grayson in a park. "Well he is in luck I have a source that is close to her. However his plan for the charity ball has a flaw."

"What flaw was that?" he asked as she reread the hand written note from Nigma.

"Well goons are worse than teenage girls with the gossip," she replied as she shoved everything back into the envelope and turned to face him. "The Joker goons were just bragging about how they were going to trash this little party the other day. Unless Nigma has an idea to team up with Joker, which he's nuts if he does, this is going to be awkward."

"I'll talk to him about it," he replied as she tossed the envelope onto the table next to the couch. His job was done he knew he should leave, but he found himself still talking. "How's the wound."

"Better, thanks," she responded, patting the spot where she had been cut. "It's healing nicely and I won't have as bad of a scar if I had patched it myself."

"Where is the kid?" he asked just noticing the absent of her normal attachment.

"Trying to be a genius and gain early acceptance into the sixth grade," she informed him. "He's a genius like his father and is trying to finish school as soon as he can."

"Are you ever going to tell me who the father is?" he inquired, and she just laughed and shook her head. Smiling at her, he knew he should have known the answer to that question. Standing up abruptly, he decided it was time to leave; he was getting too comfortable again. "I should go."

"You don't need to be a stranger around here," she told him throwing him off guard. "Nigma doesn't need to send you, Crane. You can make a social call on your own."

"Who says I want to," he retorted then stormed out.

Fuming on the way back to his apartment, he couldn't believe her presumptuousness in thinking he just wanted to visit. Of course he did, but he wasn't going to admit that to anyone. Now here she was just inviting him to come over and visit then he stormed out like a child. Sid was effecting him and he did not like it one bit.

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman. And per your request Chronic Joker just may show up next chapter.**


	16. Ruined plans

"I will not step aside for that CLOWN!" Nigma roared as he continued his ranting and pacing in front of Crane dressed in his Riddler outfit fresh from a meeting with Joker. "He refuses to back down and so do I!"

"So all of us are going to end up at this ball, and then what?" Crane asked as he lay across his couch reading the paper. Nigma had been ranting for over an hour, and Crane had decided to just ignore him now.

"I'm thinking?!" he growled rubbing his temples.

"Well I am certainly not working with the clown," Sid said from her perch on the window sill.

"How long have you been there?" Crane asked, motionless from his spot on the couch as she walked forward. He had gotten use to Sid's random appearnce in his apartment and learned to be on guard for it all the time. He refused to be caught off guard by her.

"I got here about the time he started talking about how brainless Harley is," she replied as she leaned on the back of the couch looking down at him. "I got the information he wanted."

"I'm standing right here!" Nigma fumed and stomped his foot, hating to be ignored.

"You are making him have a temper tantrum," Crane sighed annoyed as he folded his paper and sat up on the couch.

"Like I care," she huffed, rolling her eyes and moving around to the front of the couch and handed Nigma the envelope. "I don't understand your interest in the girl."

"That is not your concern," he sneered as he snatched the envelope out of her hand.

"Well if that is all I'm going to go jump out the window," Sid replied and turned to head back towards the window.

"Wait," Nigma shouted as he read the information she gave to him. "How did you get such in-depth details about Miss. Gordon?"

"I have my ways," she said as she sat down on the arm of the couch. Crane laughed as Sid made Nigma furious. "I did your job. You don't need to know how I accomplished it."

"You are infuriating!" Nigma roared before storming out.

"I'm amazed I have that effect on men," she replied, looking over to Crane who was shaking his head. He was glad he wasn't the only one to act childish around Sid when she irratated them.

"Then you shouldn't be so frustrating," he informed her opening the paper and pretending to read it hoping she would leave.

"Maybe you shouldn't be sending mix signals," she retorted standing up.

"What mix signals are you talking about," he replied tossing the paper down on the table and standing up to face her.

"You fix my wound, watch horror movies with me, saved me, and talk to me like a normal person, I thought we were friends. Now, you are acting like I'm some annoying goon you want to get rid of! You are acting like a dick, Like Nigma!" she hissed poking him in the chest. "You need to make up your damn mind!"

"Maybe if you weren't the most confusing person I ever met I would just leave you the hell alone!" he told her and grabbed her hand to stop her from poking him. Now he was livid at her, not only had she presumed they were friends but she had the nerve to poke him.

"Why don't you just leave me the hell alone then!" she told him as she yanked her hand back. "You're a bastard just like him!"

"Do not compare me to Nigma again!" Crane ordered as he stood toe to toe with her. Both of them red in the face from their scream match as he stared down at her having a few inches in height on her.

"Please tell me you two aren't going to kiss," Nigma laughed from the doorway where he had watched the whole fight.

"Both of you can go to hell," she said before walking back to the window and exiting.

Crane had the urge to punch Nigma as he laughed at the current situation. Sure he was a little harsh on her, but he was Jonathan Crane after all and he couldn't have some female following him around like a love sick puppy. After all Nigma had enough fan girls hanging around, and the clingers annoyed the hell out of him he didn't need one too.

"That is the only female I know that can challenge you and live," Nigma stated as he walked over to Crane. "And you actually just let her leave."

"Edward," Crane called, as he went to shut the window Sid left open. "I don't need a clingy fan girl unlike you."

"True I have tons of fan girls," Nigma replied as he plopped down on the couch, smirking as he thought of the nights spent with those girls. "But Sid is in no way a clingy fan girl. I should know I have at least six of them waiting back at my base of operations. They would never challenge you like Sid does."

"Can we please change the topic," Crane sighed, tired of discussing this with Nigma.

"Sure, sure," Nigma replied as he waved the envelope in his hand around. "But I still want to know how she knows Barbra Gordon's roommate."

"I do not know," he replied honestly, going over to his lab table trying to find a distraction. "How do you know it's a roommate?"

"Because the things written in this report only someone living with Miss. Gordon would know," his next words were lost when a clown goon walked into the apartment. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

"Joker wants a meeting with you two and the girl," he replied as six more goons entered behind him. "He said by any means necessary."

"I didn't know the clown was capable of speaking four syllable words," Nigma laughed as he stood up twirling his cane. "But can his goons really make us go?"

"Enough talk," the goon replied cracking his knuckles. "We do this the fun way."

"We do this my way," Crane laughed as he put his mask on and through a canister down at the goon's feet. "With lots of fear!"

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman**


	17. In the Fun House

Walking through the abandon theme park, the lights that still worked where on giving the park an eerie glow, as Crane and Nigma made their way towards Joker's hideout. They had kept one goon alive to lead them back to his hideout, after all Joker couldn't just have his goons crash their place without them returning the favor. Riddler had his men spread out around the theme park taking out Joker's men as they moved through the park.

Crane was ready to gas Joker and his precious Harley, after all they could have just asked nicely for them to come and visit. Of course they wouldn't have gone, but that was beside the point. Although this did give him a great outlet for his anger, and Joker was always his favorite punching bag.

"Hi Eddy!" came Harley's high pitch voice from atop of the decaying clown head on the entrance of the fun house. "Mr. J wasn't sure you would come."

"Where is that buffoon," Nigma asked as they approached the fun house and Harley flipped off the roof and landed on her feet in front of Nigma.

"Mr. J is inside waiting for you," she replied before she cartwheeled to the door. "Come on!"

They followed Harley into the fun house that was dark and dank. Crane could smell chemicals coming from the house; he figured they were for Joker's laughing gas. The house was full of cracked mirrors and broken machines. Walking around an over turned bumper car they entered the center of the house that was gutted and filled with creates full of grenades, vats of glowing green chemicals, and Joker sat in the middle surrounded by at least twenty goons.

"Hi puddin'," sighed as she ran over to him and sat on the floor to his right side resting her head on the arm rest of the chair. "I brought them in like you ask."

"That's my good Harley," Joker replied, patting Harley on the head like a good dog. "Welcome boys to my lovely home. I see you are only returning one of my men, you two fared better than her."

Crane looked over to see Sid tied up, gaged and unconscious next to Harley, who was now holding Sid's head up by her hair. He found his head bawled into fists, just because he sent her away did not give Joker permission to harm her.

"Of course she did give my little Harley a good fight," Joker commented causing Harley to pout before he started to laugh uncontrollably. "That's what horse tranquilizers are for. She'll be out for hours!"

"So what is this meeting for?" Nigma asked as he stepped forward in front of Crane, knowing Crane was about to go after Joker.

"Easy, Bruce Wayne is mine," Joker replied darkly as he stood up and stormed over to Nigma. "I don't need you and that washed up fear worshiper messing up my plans."

"Well now we have already had our plans this little shin dig why can't we share?" Nigma asked, as he put a hand on Crane's shoulder stopping him from rushing forward.

"Because if the bat shows up he will go for me first, at least he should, I don't need more bat distractions why do you think I pay these idiots for!" Joker laughed as he walked around his main room and grabbed one of his goon's cheeks and forced a smile. "Seeing as you two have grown fond of this little bitch to make sure you two do not ruin my plans I'm going to keep her until my job is done. You two stay away from the charity ball she stays alive if not Harley here will just slice her throat open."

"What is stopping me from just snapping your neck right now?" Crane asked as he pushed Nigma to the side.

Joker gave him an evil smile and snapped his fingers. Harley placed a knife against Sid's neck.

"Before you could get close to me Harley will have slit that defenseless girls throat," he laughed as he sat back down on his mock thrown. "Do you really want me breaking your new toy?"

"Now, now I think we can work some things out without the bloodshed," Nigma asked, placing himself in between the two rouges trying to calm things down. "All we want to do is kidnap the Gordon brat out of the Wayne ward's hands and hold her for ransom. I understand your love for theatrics and the spot light, but isn't the main goal to humiliate the Bat and the rich brat?"

"I do not share my spotlight!" Joker replied as he rubbed his chin looking deep in thought. "However if all you want is the commissioner's spoiled brat we may be able to work something out."

They had been sitting around a table in the back room arguing over plans for about three hours now. Nigma had to stop Crane and Joker from killing each other every five minutes and Harley squealing every time Joker came up with an idea or just spoke in general, and it was giving him a headache. The goons were out in the other room and Sid was tied up in the corner in the room they were in. Feeling like they were going in a circle again, Nigma slammed his hands on the discolored wooden table.

"Why would you attack at the beginning of the party," Nigma huffed, finding the Joker to be more unbearable to work with him then he thought. No wonder Crane refused to work with Joker ever again. "You need to wait until they drink a little and are off guard before you storm in and rob them blind."

"That's it I'm done," Crane declared as he stood up. "I'm not working with the clown again and neither of you can make an agreeable plan so just figure out something new Nigma."

"Come on Johnny Mr. J has plenty of good ideas," Harley pouted, as she gave puppy dog eyes to Crane. Slapping his forehead he let out a sigh.

"What you think is a good idea is very different from what I call a good idea," Crane informed her before storming out.

"Well someone has there panties in a bunch," Joker said before he started to laugh hysterically. "Too bad I still have the girl so you can't interfere!"

"Um Mr. J," Harley cautiously called out then pointed to were Sid use to be, the roped that held her were cut and laying on the ground.

"May the best rogue win," Nigma said before he strolled out casually twirling his cane.

"HARLEY!" he heard Joker roar as he walked back out into the main area of the fun house and gave a signal for his goons to leave.

Nigma wasn't sure when Sid decided to split but Crane had to be the first to notice and that is why he finally left. Who knew this new toy of his would be so interesting, and he was going to have fun with her even if it was going to be at Crane's expense.

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman**, **glad you both are enjoying it!**


	18. Plotting and plans

Crane found her on her roof smoking a mini cigar after he got himself out of the Clown's headquarters. He saw her waking up and getting out of the binds Harley had tied her up in, and he gave her the perfect distraction to slip out. Walking up behind her he watched her drop the butt of her cigar and smashes it on the roof with the ball of her foot.

"If I would have known working with you two would get me kidnapped and knocked out by Harley Quinn believe me I would have stayed far away," she said looking up at the night sky not turning to face him.

"Not my fault you couldn't handle Harley," Crane replied, trying to stick closer to the shadows uncomfortable with hanging out in the open in the light with Batman hanging around.

"I could of handle Harley if I didn't get a neck full of tranquilizer," she huffed, and then headed towards the stairwell to go back to her apartment. "Why did you distract them while I escaped?"

He remained silent; unsure what to say or what he really wanted.

"When you make up your mind I may still be in Gotham," she told him before she disappeared into the stairwell.

It took him a moment for her words to sink in, and then he quickly followed her down the stairs. The stairs ended at the end of her hallway in the apartment near her room. Walking down the hallway he found her in the kitchen with a glass of red wine in hand.

"What do you mean still be in Gotham?" he asked her as she sat down on the counter.

"The head of my guild has recalled me and I am to return to be reassigned," she replied nonchalantly before taking a sip of wine. "If I fail to return I can never work as an assassin for the guild. That means no assassin jobs without putting my neck out there to be assassinated myself by a guild member. It's like being a part of a union."

"You are going to leave Gotham for what and how long have you known?" Crane asked, furious she was just going to leave and not tell him.

"I haven't decided if I am going to leave, I can just resign as an assassin and go back to carjacking," she informed him as she swirled her wine in the glass absentmindedly. "And since we aren't friends I didn't see the need to bring this to your attention."

"Why is being an assassin so damn important than staying here in Gotham?" he demanded to know as she finished her glass.

"Money," she sighed, pouring herself more. "If this decision was so easy I wouldn't be drinking this much. I've spent the past two days drunk off my ass, and I plan to keep drinking until I run out of alcohol."

"That's your answer, to drink," he scoffed, as she rolled her eyes at him. Crane knew he shouldn't care about any of this but he still did. Gotham was a little more fun since she showed up and he wasn't going to lose her so easily.

"Right now seems like a great plan," she told him.

"Come on I know what will cheer you up," he said before dragging her into the living room.

Nigma had waited for Crane to return for six hours now. He had finally figured out a way to screw Joker over and he wanted to bounce ideas off of Crane. Of course Crane wasn't around and now he was bored. Having a clue where he was he decided to go pay Sid a visit.

As he walked in he noticed Deka was missing. He hurried up the stairs and opened the stairwell door with the key Sid hid in the exit sign. He found her apartment unlocked as usual and went right to the living room. Opening the door, he choked back a laugh at what he saw. There on the couch Crane sat reading a book while Sid was asleep leaning on his shoulder.

Crane had finally notice him, and he ducked back into the hallway, trying to stop himself from laughing. He knew Crane had feelings for the girl, even if Crane didn't admit it to himself. But the scene he just walked in on just wiped away any doubt he had. Taking a deep breath, he couldn't stop smiling as Crane stepped into the hallway.

"Are we having a nice date?" Nigma laughed, as Crane clenched his fist. He knew that Crane didn't like to be teased, but Nigma couldn't help it.

"Shut up," Crane ordered before storming past him into the kitchen, Nigma following close behind.

"What else am I supposed to say the girl was sleeping on your shoulder," Nigma pointed out as Crane made sure the kitchen door was shut. "If it was any other female you would have shoved them off of you. So you just need to admit you like her."

"It doesn't matter she is leaving Gotham," he informed Nigma as he sat down on a stool. "The head of her guild has called her to return. She will be leaving Gotham and most likely will never return."

"I wonder if she would give me this apartment then." Nigma mused while the kid walked out of the pantry from his apartment.

"She hasn't decided if she's going," the kid told them as he grabbed a soda out of the fridge. "But if I were you two I'd split in about an hour before the drunk fight happens."

"Drunk fight?" Nigma asked curiously as the id went back to his apartment.

"Sid and Deka both have been getting highly intoxicated and fighting every night for the past week because of her being recalled," Crane explained, as Nigma processed the information.

"Well then simply tell her to stay in Gotham because I need her in my plans to screw the clown," Nigma said snapping his fingers. "How do you stop a clown who thinks he king of the city?"

"Knowing you yanking the rug right from under him," Crane muttered as he rubbed his temples. "What's the plan?"

"Easy we kidnap Bruce Wayne the day before the event, destroy the caterer, the venue, and I'll set Poison Ivy on the florist," he laughed as he paced the floor in excitement so pleased with his idea. "You can't have a party to crash without the basics."

"Ruin the party ruin the clowns plan," Crane replied, as he gave his own smile. "Excellent idea."

"It's so obvious its genius!" Nigma gloated as he heard crashing and screaming coming from the living room. "Well sounds like you need to go save your girlfriend and I have a plant lady to see. I would hurry they sound like they are getting violent and I will need her assistance with the Wayne part of the deal at least."

"I hate you," Crane replied as he went to stop the fight in the living room.

"Ah hate is such a strong word," Nigma called after him. "I'm just glad you despise the clown more than you hate me."

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman**, **glad you both are enjoying it!**


	19. Plans coming together

Nigma walked into the warm greenhouse that was set back in Gotham Park. He knew Poison Ivy had taken to hiding here last September and had not been seen for a while. It was time to bring the plant back outside. He carefully made his way through the plants that over whelmed the small space. Making sure not to step or harm any plant as he made his way to the center of the green house he felt a vine snake around his ankle.

"What do you want Nigma?" came Ivy's voice as the vine yanked him off his feet and he hung midair.

"Just to ask a favor my dear," Nigma replied before the vine dropped him and he fell face first onto the ground.

"And what have you done to earn a favor from me?" she asked, as Nigma scanned the foliage for her.

"Nothing but I know this is something you would love to do and you would help screw the clown," he said in a rush, looking out for more vines. Ivy's oversized Venus fly catcher came forward and leaned its massive head down in front of Nigma. Opening its enormous mouth Nigma saw Ivy lounging on its tongue.

"Speak," she commanded looking bored.

"I have a florist shop for you to destroy," he stated, causing her to laugh.

"How does this upset that vile clown?" she asked as she looked at him and sneered. "Although a florist shop where they grow my babies just to cut them does deserve to be punished."

"The shop will be doing the floral arrangements for a Wayne Foundation function I'm trying to stop because I was going to target it but Joker has claimed it as his own," he told her as he watched her and notice her yawn and he knew he was losing her interest. "I need to make sure this little party doesn't happen so all of Joker's planning goes to waste. I'm sure he will take it out on Harley and after a beating I know she will run right to you. Not only do you get a chance to screw with Joker and destroy someone who hurts you plants, but you have the probability of Harley returning to you for some time. When was the last time you saw Harley?"

"Tempting," she mused as she thought about what Nigma had said. "Give me the name of the florist and if I feel like it I'll do it."

"Lily's Flowers on 5th street," he told her, and she sneered.

"Named after a precious flower and she hacks away at them," she sighed as she caressed the plant's tongue soothing herself and the plant. "I will do this but I require something from you. I need some uranium for an experiment, I know your friend Crane can get it for me."

"Of course," Nigma replied, as he backed up to make his way out. "You destroy the florist next Friday and I will have the uranium to you Saturday."

"I think not, you will give it to me as soon as the task is done," she informed him her voice booming. "Or I will not do this. Edward you should know better than to try and trick me. I expect payment as soon as I do as you ask is that so hard?"

"Of course not Ivy," he replied as he shook his head starting to feel light headed. Knowing Ivy was trying to control him with her poisons he made haste to leave. "I will see you next Friday."

"Don't leave Edward we could have so much fun," she breathed heavily as she exited the mouth of her Fly trap and walked towards him.

"Thanks for the offer but I must insist on leaving, good bye!" he said then hastily exit the green house.

He stopped running and took a deep breath of fresh air. Thankful he escaped before Ivy's toxins could take hold he headed back to his apartment. Slowly making his way through Gotham, the visit to Ivy had drained him more than he would like to admit. Sticking to the shadows he made it back without any incidents and decided to see if Crane was around. Walking up the stairs he opened Crane's door and once again he surprised at the sight he saw.

"Now what is going on here?" he gloated as he walked into the apartment where Crane and Sid where sitting on the couch together.

"I walked out of my apartment forgetting I have nowhere to go," she replied before taking a drink from her bottle of whiskey and Nigma noticed her right eye was swelling.

"She and Deka had a fight, she storms off and has no place to go so she is staying here until Deka passes out then going home," Crane sighed as he folded his newspaper he was reading. "Put the ice pack back on your eye."

"Yes doctor Crane," she muttered as she picked up the discarded ice pack off the table and back on her eye.

"How was the meeting with Poison Ivy?" he asked, ignoring her remark.

"She'll do it for a price," he said sitting down on the table. "You really need to get more furniture in here."

"I told him that and he said 'This is just a temporary place'," she snorted mocking Crane's voice.

"I do not, it is temporary, and what price?" Crane asked as she continued to drink.

"Uranium," Nigma said, as he twirled his crane acting uninterested in the scene before him.

"So she knows you are working with me then," Crane groaned, hating to give anything to Poison Ivy. He was sure he had hated every rogue in Gotham except Nigma and Tetch. "How are you destroying the zoo?"

"I'm thinking," he replied tapping his chin.

"Trick Penguin into doing it for you," Sid said as she drained her bottle. "That way Joker can't trace it back to you and he'll retaliate against the Penguin and since they already have a turbulent past Joker won't think you two set this up."

"What if I want Joker to know about it?" Nigma huffed and crossed his arms.

"I bet a neck full of tranquilizer you don't want to be on his bad side," she snorted as she put her empty bottle on the floor. "Besides don't you want this to be a simultaneous thing happening to distract the bat and his little family while you kidnap Wayne? Unfortunately you do not have the power to split yourself into three places at once. So you have Ivy take care of the flower shop, Penguin the zoo, and for the caterer Ratcatcher owes me a favor and nothing closes down a caterer faster than rats. That leaves both of you free to take over Wayne Tower and kidnap Wayne. But to make this fully successful you need to make sure that no one will pick up this function in Wayne's absent you need to neutralize Lucius Fox."

"You've thought about this," Nigma noted impressed she had an outline of attack. "But where do you fit into this plot?"

"I don't I need to go home to Philly and face the head of my order, at least I should," she said as she tried to stand up but fell back onto the couch. "Of course when I'm sober I'll go."

"You don't have to leave so soon," Nigma told her as he stood up and started pacing thinking. He didn't want her to leave when Crane was close to admitting that he liked the girl and it was his side amusement. "Help us kidnap Wayne before you go one last hurrah."

"Ask me again when I'm sober," she replied as she finally got off the couch and stood straight up. "If I agree now that would be you taking advantage of my current state of mind."

"I will ask you again tomorrow then," he said as she stumbled towards the door.

"Let me walk you home," Crane offered, and she shrugged him off.

They left the apartment together, and Nigma laughed as soon as they were out the door. He wondered if Crane would finally make his move or she would slip through the cracks.

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman. Hope I did Poison Ivy justice.**


	20. Drunken Nights

Crane finally got her back upstairs into her apartment with little difficulty. He was lucky she was light since he carried her half the way when she stumbled on the second floor landing. They were standing in her apartment's hallway and he was trying to make sure she didn't fall against the wall and hurt herself on the weapons decorating the wall.

"Are you really leaving for Philadelphia tomorrow?" he asked as he helped her down the hallway to the living room.

"Don't see why not there's not much left for me in Gotham," she yawned as she leaned heavily on Crane so she wouldn't fall. "To be honest there isn't much to make me want to stay."

"What would make you want to stay?" he asked as they entered the living room and where just standing there and she was just looking at him. His mind was wandering, trying to think of ways to make her stay; even though it was foolish to think he could get her to stay.

"I've never been one for drunken confessions, of course I usually drink alone," she sighed as she tried to move then staggered forward into his arms.

She was in his arms and what he did next he couldn't explain it but he found himself kissing her. He tasted the spices of the whiskey on her tongue as they stood there in a lip lock. Pulling away he looked down into her eyes and all he could see was confusion.

"I need to go," he stated as he pulled away and then rushed back to his own apartment.

Once back in the safety of his place he started to pace the small space of his apartment. He hadn't done something that foolish in a long time. What was she going to think? She was drunk was she going to say he took advantage of her? He was confused and decided in the morning he would go back and talk to her and hopefully straighten this all out. If she wasn't happy with the kiss he could always try and say it was a joke.

Slumping onto the sofa he sat there for a moment trying to stop his mind from thinking about her. He had passed out a few hours later and that was when Nigma found him.

"You look like crap my friend and I say that in the nicest possible way," Nigma said as he poked around the lab table while Crane sat up looking tired.

"What do you want now?" he asked sounding grouchy as he rubbed his face trying to wake up.

"I was heading over to our little friend's apartment to ask her again like she told me to," Nigma replied as he knocked over an empty vial.

"Stop touching my stuff," he growled as he stood up. "I'm not going over there and asking for you."

"I wasn't going to ask you to do that," he said as he backed away from the lab equipment. "What I was going to ask you is if you changed her mind about Philadelphia and made my quest easier."

Crane stared at him, he was not about to tell him about the kiss. He wasn't sure what he was going to tell Nigma. Hell he wasn't sure if the kiss was going to keep her from going or if she was already gone. Without a word he headed out the door and down the stairs.

"Jonathan?" Nigma called after him confused what was going on.

Nigma had left the apartment before Crane had returned and was now curious at what had transpired now. He followed after him, having to almost run to keep up with Crane. Entering the building Nigma noted Deka was still missing from her post, but he couldn't think about what that meant as he rushed after Crane up the stairs not wanting to miss the upcoming interaction.

He didn't know Crane could move so fast but he found himself shut out in the stairwell. Crane had unlocked the door with her hidden key and taken it with him when he slammed the door in Nigma's face. Luckily for Nigma he had brought his own key to the door and quickly unlocked it and trailed after Crane.

"She's still passed out on the sofa," the kid grumbled as Crane stormed passed him and into the living room. "What the heck is his problem?"

"I'm trying to find out," Nigma told the kid as he walked towards the living room the kid trailing behind him.

"Wait in the kitchen or I'm telling her to leave," Crane threatened outside the living room door.

"Tell me what is going on then," Nigma ordered as the kid watched them.

"It's none of your damn business," Crane replied as he turned Nigma around and shoved him towards the kitchen.

"Fine be a selfish insensitive buffoon," Nigma huffed as Crane continued to shove him into the kitchen. "I always figure out what's going on! You can't hide the truth from me!"

"You know I always have a way of ease dropping," the kid said as he walked over to the broom closet in the kitchen and opened the door. "That is if you can keep your mouth shut."

"I'm beginning to like you kid," Nigma informed him as the kid pulled the light cord and a hidden passageway opened.

"Good now shhhh," the kid said as he walked down the narrow passage way that was a tight squeeze.

Walking behind the walls Nigma started to hear Crane's muffled voice coming from the living room. He told Crane he would find out what was going on and this kid was going to help him find out. Finally making it to the living room the kid slid back a wall and he could hear them perfectly now.

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman**


	21. The next day

After Crane got rid of Nigma he went back to the living room. He found her there passed out face down on the couch with a pillow covering her head. She had changed at some point during the night and she was wearing a pair of cotton shorts and Crane had to stop himself from staring at her legs. She rolled over and the pillow fell to the floor, hair a mess, as she stared at him.

"Is there a reason you are here this early?" she asked her voice sounding scratchy.

"It's actually the afternoon," he informed her as she tried to comb her hair down with her fingers. "We should talk about last night."

"Nigma loves to send you doesn't he," she said as she looked at the wall the snatched the iPad off the table and started to type.

"Nigma isn't the only reason I'm here," he replied as she held up the iPad for him to read.

On there she had typed 'They are in the passageway listening to us'. He was pissed now knowing he couldn't talk to her because Nigma was ease dropping and the kid most likely showed him how to.

"As for Philly I have decided to stick around until after this little scheme then I do have to return," she said as she typed another note on the iPad. 'We can talk later about the other night when no one is listening'.

"So after Nigma is done with you, you are going to just up and leave?" he asked before nodding his head yes to her note.

"Not just up and leave as of right now I do plan to return," she told him as she stood up and pressed a button on the side of the bookcase against the wall. The bookcase slide over and Nigma and the kid came tumbling out of the secret passageway. "Having fun ease dropping?"

"It was his idea," the kid said before he ran out of the room.

"Don't say anything just get out of the wall," she said as Nigma opened his mouth to defend himself.

"How was I to know this passage would lead here," he said anyway as he got up and walked away from the wall so she could close it.

"You are the grown up and should of known better," she shot back and pointed to the couch. "Now sit and behave."

"Is she really ordering me around?" Nigma gasped, as Crane shot him a dirty look. "Well if you two weren't so secretive I wouldn't be so curious."

"It's none of your damn business!" she huffed before storming out.

"Seriously stay put this time," Crane ordered as he followed after her.

"Whatever you say," Nigma replied as he picked up her discarded iPad.

"Put it down," Crane ordered as he poked his head back in and wait until Nigma had placed the iPad back on the table before he continued his pursuit of Sid.

He saw a door opened and walked into the closet room where she was brushing her hair sitting at the vanity in the corner of the room. She had quickly put on a pair of jeans and still looked like she was pissed off. Closing the door, he walked over to her, uncertain of what exactly he was going to do.

"Did you have to bring him over here?" she sighed as she put the brush down and turned on the chair to face him. "He's worst then a child."

"Actually he was coming over her by himself to convince you to do what he wants," he told her. "I figured I should intervene before you try to kill him."

"That's a good idea," she laughed as she put on the black leather boots next to the make-up table.

"Going somewhere?" he asked as she placed a dagger in each boot and strapped them in place.

"No, just being prepared," she responded as she stood up. "By the way next time you kiss a drunk girl and run you should probably make sure she isn't left somewhere when she wakes up she's not pissed off. I spent most of the night passed out on the living room floor."

"Sorry," he said, cringing inside.

"At least you got me home, my teen years some nights I didn't know where the hell I was when I woke up," she told him as she loaded a clip into a hand gun. "But seriously what was that last night, I mean weren't you the one who told me we aren't even friends then you kiss me. It's very confusing."

"You said you needed a reason to stay and I guess I was trying to give you a reason," he told her as she strapped the gun to her back. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

"I wasn't offended just very confused," she replied as she went to the door and yanked it opened and looked out into the hallway before closing the door again.

"There are no secret passages they can ease drop in here?" he asked forgetting for a moment the kid could be listing in on their conversation.

"No, in here, bedrooms and bathrooms don't have the hidden passages in them for person reasons obviously," she said as she walked back over to him. "So if you have something to say, say it now before they decided to interrupt."

"I don't want you to leave Gotham," he finally said and she laughed, as she back over to the door.

"If that's all," she said as she opened the door. "I guess I'll stay then."

"Nothing is this simple with you," Crane stated as he followed her back into the living room.

"Maybe you just over complicated everything," she shot back as she walked back into the living room to find Nigma on her iPad. "Seriously you hacked my iPad."

"With little difficulty," Nigma said as he turned to face the picture on the iPad at her. "So why do you have a picture of Rebecca Conrad on your iPad under your file of identities?"

"Do I have to dignify that with an answer," she sighed, know Nigma now knew most of her fake identities she used for assassinations.

"No, but I must admit you play the party of many socialite women. Although most of the faces have very different features, theatrical makeup I assume," he stated as he continued to look through the pictures.

"Yes I was trained how to apply silicon prosthetics," she told him as she sat down on the couch. "Now enough about me how about we discuss this plan of yours so I know what I have to do."

"Well I'm glad you decided to join our little team," he declared as he handed her back the iPad. "I found out Wayne's ward is staying in a hotel but still sees Barbra Gordon at her dorm room. I want you and Crane to kidnap both of them so neither can try to keep this function going. The clown will have nothing of Wayne's and I will hold all of the cards. Penguin has agreed to attack the zoo, Ivy will destroy the flower shop, and I will take over Wayne Tower and get Wayne and Fox, and you two will get the ward and the girl. You can get Ratcatcher to close the caterers?"

"Of course," she said with confidence, and Nigma smiled.

"Then it's time to screw the clown!" he exclaimed.

**Thank you to my reviewers Booklover1598, Cronic Sandman, and Plex Pluthor**


	22. The new Scheme

Crane waited outside of Ivy's greenhouse waiting for Sid to call him telling him the flower shop was destroyed so he could make the drop. He held the uranium case close to him as he watched closely every plant around him. Ivy could double cross them at any moment and he wasn't about to let that happen. Feeling the burner phone in his pocket he quickly answered it.

"It's done," she said before she ended the call.

Even though they were burner phones I wasn't a good idea to stay on the phone for too long, less the bat track your phone call. Grabbing the case containing the uranium Crane made his way towards Ivy's greenhouse, making sure his mask was in place. He was going to make sure her spores were not going to affect him. All he had to do was get in and out in less than ten minutes or Sid was going to torch the place, per his request. He rather be dead then a slave to Ivy.

"Where's Nigma?" Ivy asked unseen in the dense foliage.

"Busy," he replied setting down the case by the door. Crane wasn't about to tell her that Nigma was currently taking over Wayne Tower or the fact he was afraid of being put under Ivy's spell. "He sent me to drop this off, now I will be going."

"You never did have any manners," she said as two bushes parted and she sauntered towards him. "Is the Scarecrow afraid of my spores?"

"If I'm not out of here soon my friend is going to set fire to your precious babies," he growled at her making her stop and scowl.

"One day Crane I will show you just how powerful Mother Nature truly is," she warned him as he quickly left.

Walking as fast as he could he put as much distance as he could between him and the greenhouse without running and bringing too much attention to himself. He made his way through the park and back to the car where Sid was sitting on the hood of the black dodge charger smoking a mini cigar.

"Aren't you afraid of being recognized?" he asked as he opened the passage door.

"Please the citizens of Gotham rarely recognize a rouge without their costumes on and as I am fairly new to the rouge scene I highly doubt I someone passing by will know who I am let alone care. To them I am just a random person sitting on the hood of their car enjoying a smoke break. Now if I was in my leather outfit instead of jeans and a sweatshirt maybe they would know who I am," she replied as she stamped out her butt and got into the driver side of the car. "You however with that mask on stick out like a sore thumb."

"Point taken," he grumbled as he tore off his mask and placed it in his lap as she pulled out of the deserted parking lot of the park. "How are we on time?"

"We are ten minutes ahead of schedule," she remarked as she looked down at the clock reading 5:45. "We will get to the building at 6:10 and she isn't expecting us until 6:20 and Mr. Grayson isn't supposed to show up until 7. This should be a cake walk."

"Just like the last scheme Nigma had," he snorted causing her to laugh.

"Come on it will be fine," she told him as she pulled into the visitor parking lot of Gotham University.

"Sure we just stroll into a dorm room kidnap the ward of a rich billionaire and just walk back out," he said as she parked the car and they got out.

"You are over complicating things," she informed him as she locked the car and grabbed his arm pulling him along. "Just act like you belong and no one will even know we were here."

"Until they figure out the boy is missing," he replied as they moved through the campus, no one taking notice of them. "I can't believe this is working."

"We are on a college campus on a Friday night these students are more worried about their plans for the weekend and not who is walking on their campus," she stated as she lead them to the back of a dormitory where a backdoor to a stair well was propped opened but a thin piece of wood. "Relax this is the easy job, Nigma has the hard job taking down Wayne and Fox."

"Not your first kidnapping?" he asked as she opened the door once she saw the coast was clear.

"Actually it is," she said as they made their way to the second floor. "I'm just treating this like any other job."

"Let's get this over with," he said as she opened the door to room 205, and used a dart gun full of knock out darts to knock out the red head sleeping at her desk.

"You weren't supposed to be here for another six minutes," huffed a blond hair girl who marched out of the bathroom her green eye's burning with anger. "What happened to your perfect timing?"

"He finished his job early," Sid said as they entered the room and shut the door behind them. "I see you are getting ready to be knocked out and on camera."

"Of course, you never know who is watching," she replied as she walked back into the bathroom and grabbed a brush. "My next mark could be watching. Gotham citizens seem to love a victim."

"T you are still the same," Sid sighed as Crane looked around the small dorm room.

The side Barbra's was passed out at the desk on was neat and orderly, while the other side was covered in band and movie posters and clutter with stuff. He sat down on the chair at T's desk while Sid followed her into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. There was a screaming match in what he assumed was French that lasted about ten minutes before Sid reemerged again.

"Who gets yelled at for being early," she muttered as she plopped down on the messy bed.

"So Edward was right you do know Barbra Gordon's roommate," he noted as Barbra's cell phone started to vibrate on the desk.

"Wish I didn't," she sighed as she went and picked up the cell phone and saw Richard Grayson on the caller id.

"That isn't Dick is it?" T asked as she came out of the bathroom her hair perfectly straight. "He isn't supposed to be here for at least half an hour."

"I assume you know her password," Sid said as she handed the phone to T as the voicemail icon popped up.

"Duh," she replied putting the phone on speaker and punching in the numbers. "It's Dick's birthday."

"Barb something came up at Bruce's office I assume you are on your way if not I will talk to you later," came Dick's voice from the phone.

"Look like someone else likes to go early," T said as she turned on the TV and a news flash was on showing Wayne Tower under attack by the Riddler.

"That asshole," Sid hissed as she went into T's closet and grabbed a hooded sweatshirt. "Well I'm not leaving here empty handed."

"You are going to steal Gordon?" T laughed as Sid snatched a hair tie and pulled the unconscious Barbra's red hair back and then shoved her into the sweatshirt and put the hood up.

"She was the original target before this mess with the Joker," she replied before striking T in the back of the head with her gun knocking her out. "Don't worry knocking her out was also part of the plan and she knew it was coming."

"Comforting," he said as he watched her put shoes on Barbra. "How are we getting her out of here?"

"We are on a college campus and our friend has drunk a little too much and we are taking her back to our house so she can sleep it off," she stated as she finished getting Barbra ready and stood up. "Now pick her up and let's go."

"You realize how asinine this is," he said as he picked up Barbra and slung her over his shoulder.

"You can't carry her like that," she laughed as she shook her head. "No one would believe she is you friend if you are carrying her like a sack of potatoes."

"I'm getting sick and tired of people trying to order me around," he growled as he tossed Barbra on the bed.

"Okay I'll carry her but it may look suspicious," she told him and went to go pick her up.

"Stop," he said and grabbed her by the shoulder. "You know how ridiculous that would look."

"I know, but someone doesn't want to help," she pouted and he laughed and picked up Barbra bridal style.

"Let's just get this over," he muttered as they walked out of the building. "I'm going to kill Nigma for this."

**Thank you for the review booklover1598**


	23. The wait

Nigma looked over his two captives that were being drug upstairs, pissed off he was holding captive the two wrong people. His plan attacking Wayne Tower went perfect expect Wayne somehow slipped out, undoubtedly hiding in a secret panic room the coward. So Nigma took the only one he found in the main office, Lucius Fox. Now here they were hiding out in an abandon warehouse with Barbra Gordon and Lucius Fox as his hostages. Crane was also in a pissy mood; he had refused to tie them up, and had told Nigma off and was now sulking upstairs in a small office space.

"Done," Sid stated as she climbed down a pipe from the ceiling now dressed in leather pants and a leather tank top. "No one will be able to sneak around upstairs."

"Good, don't need old Bats trying to sneak up on use after this disastrous night," he sighed as he sat down on a crate; his crew was roaming the warehouse.

"So you didn't get your intended targets," she huffed at him crossing her arms over her chest. "Your main goal came out intact; Wayne canceled the function until next week. With Joker's luck he will be back in Arkham before then. You accomplished what you wanted. You showed Joker you aren't to be messed with."

"Here you are giving me a pep talk and I thought you didn't like me," he snorted as she shook her head.

"Your assumption is correct I don't like you. But I have one sulking rouge I don't need another," she said before she turned on her heel and headed upstairs towards Crane where Nigma's men had deposited the captives. "Having fun guarding the unconscious bunch?"

"Yes it's just load of fun," he grunted from behind the desk in the small office space, in the corner Lucius Fox and Barbra Gordon where bound together with ropes, gagged, and out for the count. "They are both great conversationalists."

"What is the current topic up for discussion?" she asked, perching herself carefully on the old wooden desk.

"How ludicrous this whole plan is," he replied as he leaned back in the leather torn rusted office chair. "They agree with me."

"It's because none of this is your style," she replied as she leaned back on the desk. "None of this has your M.O. and its bothering you. You are all about fear and the effect it has on people, and perfecting your fear gas. Here you are kidnapping people for the Riddler and taking orders from him and it's driving you mad."

"How do you know this, are you some sort of psychologist now?" he sneered at her, distraught at the thought she had him so figured out.

"No, just observant," she replied casually, before sighing. "Also because I'm having the same issue myself, I kill and steal. Now here I am hiding out waiting for the bat to show up because Riddler is holding two people for ransom."

"You steal objects or a life it's more comparable to this scheme then what I do," he noted, causing her to laugh.

"Yes but I don't hang around bored out of my mind waiting for something to happen," she retorted, as she slid on the desk to sit facing him. "If it was a job I'm use to where I go in and pull the heist, fence the shit, and move on with life. This is almost as boring as someone stating that they want you to stick around and then go back to acting like you don't exist."

"This is not the time to speak about that," he hissed as he stood up and lean forward to speak lower making sure he wasn't over heard. "I told you we will speak about this matter when Nigma wasn't around."

"Well he always seems to be around and I'm getting tired of waiting," she whispered back. "I'm risking a lot by staying and if you are just going to ignore me then I should just go."

"Look this isn't something I am use to and…" Crane started to explain to her but then was interrupted by the cat walk crashing down.

"Saved by the bat," she muttered before hopping off the desk and walking out to the stairs to see what happened.

Snatching his mask off the desk, he followed her as he put his mask into place ready to take his frustrations out on Batman. As he approached her, he noticed she was gripping the railing hard, her knuckled were turning white. Looking down he noticed what had fallen down wasn't a bat, but Harley Quinn.

"Wait," he told her grabbing her arm as she made to move downstairs. "Let this play out, Joker will not be far behind."

"She tranqued me," she hissed back. "She will pay."

"I understand but this is not the time," he told her as he pulled her back into the office. He saw Nigma approaching the unconscious Harley Quinn.

"Your timing always sucks," she replied as she let herself be pulled into the office.

"Now that Nigma is distracted maybe this is the perfect time," he told her, as he shut the rusty office door closed. "You are right we need to talk."

**Thank you to my reviewers Booklover1598 and Cronic Sandman**


	24. A little fight

Watching his henchmen remove the metal catwalk that had fallen down atop of Harley, he was ready to smack them with his cane. His idiot henchmen were making this more work than it should be. They were having issues working together to remove the large catwalk, and were arguing about how to move it off the girl.

"Just get it off her," he roared as one of the men had yanked on a side railing and it snapped off sending him flying back into a wall. "Then tie her up and bring her upstairs."

Storming upstairs he muttered under his breath about the buffoons he hired. He was pissed off and not paying attention when he yanked the door to the office opened and stomped inside. Then he took in the scene before him. There was Crane standing next to the desk, his back to him, and Sid was sitting on the desk next to him facing Nigma with Crane's mask in her hand.

"Now what did I miss?" Nigma asked as he strolled next to them.

"We were just discussing the purpose of masks," Sid replied as she smacked Crane in the chest with his mask.

"Exactly," Crane said as he held his mask, neither of them making eye contact with Nigma.

"You two are acting like a bunch of teenagers just caught making out," Nigma laughed as his goons brought Harley in. "Oh…"

"What's she doing here?" Harley spat as the goons sat her in the chair, cutting Nigma off.

"Working what are you doing here clown," Sid growled as Crane grabbed her arm to hold her back.

"Working," she shot back struggling in her restraints as the goons tied her to the chair.

"I don't see the idiot clown anywhere," Sid sneered as she shrugged her arm out of Crane's hold.

"But you will," Harley promised before she started to laugh. "My puddin' is coming."

"Go check outside for the clown," Nigma ordered his men and they went to do as told. "Now Harley why would he send you in first, are you the distraction or bait?"

"Um…" Harley looked at him trying to answer his question.

"How about more straight forward, what the hell where you doing sneaking around the catwalks?" Sid demanded as she slammed her hands on the desk and glared at Harley. "Or did you kill what brain cells you had left on the fall."

"My brain is working perfect!" Harley shrieked, as she renewed her struggle to break free. "He sent me in to make sure you three where in here and it just wasn't goons."

"He's going to blow the place up isn't he," Nigma sighed, before he walked out of the office and stormed down the stairs to meet the clown head on.

Whenever the Joker feels like he's about to lose he always goes to his main choice and blows whatever is pissing him off up. Nigma was not about to be blown up. He heard footsteps following behind him, and glanced back to see Crane following him with his mask back on.

Making his way outside he saw his goons fighting Joker's crew with their white clown mask and face paint being mixed with red blood. Then he heard that laugh that grated on his nerves. The laugh that kept him up nights in Arkham when the Joker was locked up with them, and he was heading towards it to shut it up.

"Joker," Nigma called out, as he shoved his way through the brawl.

"Well, well, well," Joker snickered as he walked towards them. "Still hanging with the straw bag Riddler? So whose big idea was it to try and screw me over? Was it that little bitch of yours?"

"No it was mine because I'm tired of you thinking you are the only rouge in this town," Nigma shot back then they were interrupted by Batman and Robin. "Great Batman followed you!"

"Followed me he followed you!" Joker retorted as he dodged Batman's fist.

"It doesn't mattered who I followed all three of you are going back to Arkham," Batman informed them, as he continued his assault on Joker, and Robin attacked Crane.

Seeing his chance to break away, Nigma ran back into the warehouse. Running back up the stairs, he slammed the office door shut. He turned and barley dodged a fist aimed at his head

"Nightwing I see you are still in town," Nigma said as he rolled away and Sid tried to hit Nightwing in the back with a pipe.

"Untie me!" Harley called out from where she laid on her side still tied to the now tipped over chair.

"Fine," Nigma hissed as he ran over to her figuring it was better to have Harley on their side.

After he untied her she quickly picked up the pipe slammed it into Nightwing's back then went after Sid. He watched Nightwing struggle to stand up then get knocked back down when the two girls struggling on the floor slammed into him. Hearing sirens outside, he swore then he ran to grab Fox, preparing to use him as a human shield. On his way towards his goal he was tripped up when Nightwing grabbed his ankles and found himself pinned to the ground by Harley's body as Sid wrapped her hands around her throat.

"Will you two knock it off the cops are here," Nigma huffed as he tried to get the girls from off on top of him. "You two are going to get us set back to Arkham."

"Freeze!" a cop screamed as they stormed into the room.

"Great just great," Nigma muttered as the cops pulled the girls apart and another pulled him up and started to handcuff him as someone else read him his rights. "I'm going to kill Joker for thi

**Thank you to my reviewers Booklover1598 and Cronic Sandman**

s."


	25. Back at Arkham

Crane sat in his cell as the guards slowly brought them all into their cell. They were still disarming the Joker when Sid was tossed into her cell, he noticed they had taken her shoes. She sat on her cot, still wearing her leather outfit, they had not processed them fully to change into the Arkham jumpsuit.

"Assholes' took my boots this time," she sighed as Nigma was being dragged in. "Guess they do learn from their mistakes."

"Sometimes," Crane replied as he leaned on the glass wall of his cell, giving the guards a smirk as the pass causing them to speed up. "They stay consistently the same most of the time."

"I can't believe we are locked back up," Nigma huffed before lying back on his cot.

"Seriously," Sid laughed. "We kidnaped the police commissioner's daughter, that's just advertising you want to be locked back up."

"You were supposed to get GREYSON!" Nigma roared as he jumped out of his cot and banged his fist against the glass wall. "You are the dim-wit that brought her instead of the boy."

"Awe are the two lovers quarreling," Joker laughed as he and Harley where brought in.

"Shut up clown," Nigma retorted and sat back on his cot. "I hate all of you."

"The feeling is mutual," Sid muttered as they came to start dragging them out one by one to change them into the orange jumpsuits.

The rest of the night went uneventful beside the random snide comment made by someone throughout the night. The next morning when they were being taken to breakfast, Nigma was giving both Crane and Sid the silent treatment and the Joker was laughing in Nigma's ear.

They made their way to the dining hall and Nigma sat at the table in the corner and Crane and Sid sat down with him. That move earned both of them a glare from Nigma and breakfast was finished in silence. Then they were taken to the rec room where the three of them all sat quietly in a corner together. Both Crane and Nigma had picked up a book and were reading, while Sid sat on the floor with her back to the wall and her pale ice blue eyes staring out unblinking, asleep.

Joker sat at a table in the middle of the room with Harley sitting on his lap, loudly making fun of Tetch. This only lasted a few minutes until Tetch broke down sobbing for his Alice and was dragged out.

"I'm bored Mr. J," Harley sighed as she snuggled against his chest. "Those mean orderlies took away our toy."

"Oh Harley there are many toys in here," he replied before standing up, letting Harley tumble to the floor.

"Mr. J," Harley pouted as she stood up.

"So which one of the two of you is she with or is she just banging both of you?" Joker asked as he walked over to the trio. Crane and Nigma ignored him, not looking up from their books, and the only movement Sid made was clenching her fist. "I bet the whore is sleeping with both of you, couldn't do any better! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Joker found himself hunched over after Sid slammed her fist into his stomach.

"You can't do that to my puddin'!" Harley roared before attacking Sid and they were tumbling on the floor trying to rip each other's hair out.

"You stupid bitch," Joker said darkly as he went to attack Sid but was stop by Crane who spun him around and punched him in the right eye. "Straw brains finally get some courage?"

"Break it up you four," Cash ordered as orderlies and guards flooded the room trying to separate the still brawling girls and removing the other inmates back to their cell. "Sedate them and get them back to their cells! Get a jacket on that one!"

Harley was the first to be sedated when Sid slammed her into two guards. Joker went right after the guards taking down Harley, managing to break a guard's nose before he was sedated and a straightjacket was put on him before being dragged back to his cell. Sid was struggling against two guards holding her down as an orderly tried to get a straightjacket on her. Kicking left and right they finally sedated her.

After much struggle they had got most of the inmates back to their cells without sedation, Crane was one of those who was not sedated and was back in his cell as they tossed everyone else in theirs. They did manage to get him into a straightjacket and he was currently trying to get out of when Warden Sharp walked down the hall with four guards.

"Take Joker, Quinn, Crane, and Doe to the isolation ward," he ordered before he left.

"Let's go Crane," the guard ordered as he forced him to his feet and dragged him out of the cell.

They dragged the four inmates down to the lower levels to a hallway where six cells sat, three on each side of the tiny hallway. They were lined up outside the steel doors of the cells Harley and Joker on one side, Crane and Sid on the other. Sharp walked into the hallway and stood in between the inmates and cleared his throat.

"With your numerous stays here at Arkham I would expect you three to know the rules and punishments for breaking those rules," he said as he looked in between them. "Ms. Doe as this is your second visit to the establishment I will refresh you to the rules you have broken. No fighting with the other patients. No assault on guards. You had been a problematic patient since you first arrived. Perhaps this will teach you a lesson. All four prisoners will have a month in isolation and dinner will not be delivered for the night, make it an oversight officer James."

"Back to cruel and unusual punishment there Quincy," Joker laughed as the cell doors where unlocked.

"I reassure you Mr. Joker you will be broken once more," Sharp said before he turned to look at Sid. "As for you Ms. Doe I sincerely hope a month in isolation will change your mind about your behavior. Lock them up."

Crane was shoved roughly into the cell and the door slammed closed plunging him into darkness. Sitting down on the small cot in the corner the cell wasn't much larger than the cot itself, offering little room to move around. He started working on loosening his straightjacket again. Hating being confined in the jacket when he was able to get it off he tossed it into the corner. Now he just need to figure out how to make this month fly by.

**Thank you to my reviewers booklover1598, chronic sandman, zorobin589, and watergoddesskasey!**


	26. Whispers in the dark

Waiting until he was sure no one was returning, he stood up on the cot and pushed up on the ceiling tile and slide it over. When they did renovations on the ward they cut corners and a small oversight turned into a way to visit you neighbors in the cell block. You couldn't get across the hall this way, and Crane was glad that Joker and Harley were over there. This was a rouge secret, and he knew Sid wouldn't know about it until now.

Carefully crawling over the tiles he made his way over to her cell. Sliding back the tile he peered into the darkness of her cell, he thought he could make out her outline sitting on the cot, but he couldn't be sure.

"Sid," he called down to her.

"Oh fuck God that better not be you," Sid replied.

"No it's not," he sighed shaking his head. "Where are you?"

"In a cell," she said as he heard her shifting on the cot, the springs squeaking as she moved.

"Stop being a smartass," Crane said as he dropped down to the floor.

"I would but it's more fun to be a smartass then a dumb ass," she stated as he sat down on the cot. "How did you know about the ceiling trick?"

"Harley and Joker were down here right after the renovations and Harley doesn't handle being separated from the Joker well," he explained. "She tried everything to get to him and eventually found the flaw in the ceiling. Sure she is in the Joker's cell right now doing things I don't even want to imagine."

"Ugh I know you like fear and all but I don't need nightmares about what those two do in the dark," she said as she made gagging noises.

"No one does," he laughed as he leaned back against the wall. His eyes where adjusting to the darkness and he could make out her outline plopped against the wall. "Are you still in your straightjacket?"

"Yea, I didn't feel like getting out of it," she replied. "That and the sedation is finally wearing off."

"Come here," he told her reaching out and dragging her over and started to unbuckle the jacket. "You could have just asked."

"Since when do I ask for help," she laughed as he finished untying her arms.

"Very true," he stated as he released her from the jacket and tossed it into the corner. "Although you need to work on you cover stories. I don't think Edward bought the lie about us discussing masks."

"It was the only think I could think of," she replied as she pulled away from him slightly. "It's your fault for kissing my senseless."

"You started it by pulling off my mask," he reminded her.

"Not my fault it distorts your voice and annoys me. There is no way I can have a serious conversation with you wearing it," she snorted before yawing. "At least we know Edward can't bust in here, can he?"

"Not unless he gets put in the cell next to us," he assured her. "I highly doubt he will. Sharp only puts people down here who he despises like the Joker and now you."

"Should I feel honor or sleep with one eye open?" she laughed as she leaned back against the cool wall.

"A bit of both," he replied. "This is the opportune moment to talk about us without being interrupted."

"To be honest I don't think we need to change a thing," she told him. "We are both mature adults and can handle ourselves as such. Just be warned you start treating me like Joker treats Harley I can and will stab you."

"If you start acting like Harley I may stab you," he joked.

"Awe you don't want me jumping on top of you and calling you Mr. C," she replied mocking Harley's voice then starting laughing. "I can't do that it's so asinine."

"Please don't ever do that again," he told her.

"I won't," she yawned. "So do they lock us in here all day and night?"

"We still go to our therapy sessions," he informed her. "And when we aren't having our meals postponed we still get three meals a day."

"Oh joy more Dr. Young and bad food," she groaned.

"It could be worst," he told her. "Joker could be on the side and we have to worry about a maniac clown trying to kill us every minute."

"Well look at you looking on the bright side of things," she laughed.

"I know it's disgusting," he replied. "I prefer the darker side of life."

"Don't we all."

They talked a little more before Crane slowly drifted off to sleep. He woke to a shuffling noise as breakfast was slipped under the slot in the door. It took him a minute to realize where he was and who was sleeping next to him. The small cot was barely big enough for him to sleep comfortably on and Sid was using his chest as a pillow. Unsure of how they got into this position he slipped out from under her and left the cell before she awoke.

Back in his own cell he slowly picked at the food they had left trying to figure out everything that had happen. How could one female bring him out of his lonely conquest to cloak Gotham in fear? He had a lot to think about, and lucky for him he had the time.

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman.** **Sorry for the delay life just got out of control should have the next chapter up soon!**


	27. Therpy

Crane sat in his cell waiting for the repulsive slop they called food around here so he knew it would be safe to leave. He had spent an entire day lock in his cell thinking and all it earned him was a headache. Dinner was slipped through the door slot and he waited a few minutes before crossing the ceiling tiles and back to Sid's cell. When he moved the tile to enter Sid's cell he noticed a light on in the cell.

This was odd as there were no lights in the cell, light fixtures were nonexistent. He dropped down and saw her sitting on the floor with a strange LED light that laid flat on the ground and she was reading a piece of paper. Her straightjacket was lying in front of the cell door to make sure light didn't escape from the cell.

"With the way you left this morning I didn't expect you back," she stated as she rubbed the bridge of her nose with her free hand and shut her eyes.

"I was making sure not to get caught," he replied as he sat down on the bed. "Where did the light and letter come from?"

"Apparently the guild has some connections in Arkham," she sighed as she leaned her head back against the wall. "When I came back from my session with Dr. Young both items were waiting for me on my bed."

"What language is that?" he asked as he looked down at the letter in her hand.

"Gaelic, dead language used by few," she sighed as she looked back at the letter. "The guild uses it for official letters and I was always terrible at it. From what I can make out after this little stunt they will be forcefully making me return to headquarters. Then from there I'll probably will be told how lousy I am at my job and get ousted from the guild. At that time I'll come back to Gotham and figure out a new income like carjacking. It'll be fine."

"You sure they won't kill you?" he asked as she crumbled up the note and tossed it.

"Too much effort," she replied as she stood and stretched before sitting on the bed next to him. "We all trained together and know each other's moves it would be a battle that takes a lot of effort and wasted time. Time is very precious to these people. If I'm not back by the time you break out can you check on the kid? Deka and he will most likely be at each other's throats."

"You think Deka and the kid will trust me?" he laughed as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about that you should be worried about tomorrow," she told him. "Dr. Young has informed me that Dr. Hugo Strange has decided to use the four of us in an experiment to see if group therapy will work for rouges."

"Group therapy? You have to be kidding me."

* * *

"Dr. Strange are you sure group mediation is the right path to take?" Dr. Young asked as the four convicts where brought into the office and handcuffed to chairs that where arranged in a circle.

"Warden Sharpe left me in charge of dealing with the fall out of their latest confrontations I know what I am doing," he assured her as they took their seats in the circle. "Now let's see from the report from the guards Ms. Doe attacked first after Joker and Ms. Quinn were provoking her and Mr. Crane in the lounge. Is this correct Ms. Doe?"

"She doesn't speak," Dr. Young informed him when Sid didn't respond.

"The bitch does speak," Joker interrupted, as he leaned back in his chair a grim look on his face. "Trick is getting her to shut the hell up."

"A neck full of tranquilizer works wonders," Harley giggled earning her a glare from Sid.

"I am assuming you are speaking of incidents that happened outside these walls," Strange noted, knowing the session was being recorded.

"What's wrong Strange afraid someone may listen and think we are being mistreated?" Crane asked, knowing fully well that was the doctor's main concerned. Strange had a reputation for doing questionable work with inmates, off the record of course.

"Mr. Crane I assume you speak of the rumors of mistreatment, but as I refer to your record you are the only doctor here with notable mistreatment of your 'patients'. Now may we get back to the situation at hand," Strange demanded as Joker began to laugh.

"The only situation is lover boy over there coming to the recuse of that whore who sits silently in her chair just staring," Joker laughed and Harley joined in.

"Yeah we just wanted to know who she was sleeping wit him or Eddie," she laughed.

"That is our business, unlike Harley I don't flaunt the beds I sleep in. Who's bed does she prefer you or Ivy, Joker?" Crane asked and Joker went silent with a murderous look in his manic green eyes.

"I ain't ever slept with Ivy!" Harley shrilled as Joker moved to slap her, but was stopped by the cuffs. "Honest mister J I only have eyes for you!"

"Really from what I hear you love the soft caressing touch of plants over the cruel harsh jokes," Crane replied looking bored, and giving a yawn. "Seems they are the only ones with unresolved issues, may we go back to our cells now? I prefer the silence or those two babbling."

"When we get out of here I'm going to cut your balls off and beat you with them!" Joker roared as he stood up dragging the heavy metal chair with him. "And after I'm through with you I'm going to burn Ivy's hideout to the ground, and chop all of you up and roast you in the fire of Ivy's plants!"

"Guards!" Dr. Young screamed as Joker went on his rampage.

The guards came in and fought with Joker trying to sedate him. He elbowed one of the guards and started his manic laughing. Even when they had sedated him and was dragging him back to his cell he kept laughing.

"Well this was fruitless," Dr. Young sighed as the others were taken back to their cells.

"On the contrary, we just learned today that there is some kind of connection between Ms. Doe and Mr. Crane. Now we just need to learn how to ethically exploit it to have both patients achieve sanity and cure them of their illnesses," Dr. Strange explained before exiting.

Dr. Young turned off the tape recorded. "One day he is going to be in the cell next to Crane if he keeps this up."

* * *

As soon as dinner was dropped in Crane was back in Sid's cell.

"For the first time since I've been here I almost cracked a smile in front of Dr. Young!" she laughed as he entered the room. "That group therapy was a hoot."

"I'm glad you enjoyed the show because I just pissed off a homicidal manic," he informed her as he sat down next to her on the bed.

"Is the master of fear afraid of a psychotic clown?" she laughed.

"No he's just an annoyance I can't seem to get rid of," he sighed.

"Speaking of getting rid of people, I was just informed when are isolation is over I am to be transferred out," she stated and silence filled the room. "After this is could be months before I'm able to get back to Gotham."

**Thank you to my two reviewers Booklover1498 and Chronic Sandman**


	28. A Day in Arkham

Crane and Nigma where playing chest in the lounge, the month had passed quickly and Sid was transferred out earlier this morning. Harley was sitting on the couch watching the new TV that had been added to the lounge that had replaced the old that had a book through the screen that Two-face had thrown at a news report about Batman. Joker had been sedated and tossed in his cell at breakfast when he attacked Tetch.

"It's unbelievable that Sharpe would let anyone be transferred out of here let alone her," Nigma said making conversation. He had been bored the month Crane had been locked up and decided to let bygones be bygones when he was released from solitary. Right now Crane was brooding since Sid's transfer and it was getting on his nerves. "You can make conversation it's not like she's dead."

"Hey Eddie isn't there a saying about be careful of watcha say," Harley said as she leaned on the back of the couch chewing gum.

"What point are you trying to make Harley?" Nigma asked her, annoyed.

She pointed at the TV and Nigma eyes widen as he saw the report on the screen. There was an accident on the New Jersey turnpike, a prisoner transport van had flipped over and caught on fire. He could feel the intense anger radiating off of Crane, he pray to whatever that would listen that is wasn't Sid in that van. Of course his prayers went unanswered as Sid's mug shot flashed on the screen and the reporter saying there were no saviors. Crane flipped the table they were playing chess on, then picked up and threw his chair across the room.

"Looks like someone is mad," Harley sang as the orderlies came to sedate and drag Crane away for his outburst. "Mad in a mad house!"

"Oh shut up Harley," Nigma griped as Harley laughed at her own joke.

* * *

Dr. Raymond Byrd was still a fairly new doctor at Arkham when they informed him his new patient was going to be the infamous Jonathan Crane.

Sitting there staring at the doctor Crane finally snapped and stood up slammed his hands of the desk and leaned over Dr. Byrd.

"Don't speak to me like I am beneath you," Crane threatened. "Because I know your dirty secrets, your fears, I can ruin you. You walk around here like you own this place. Use the storage closet like your own personal hotel room. How many nurses have you fucked in there? Two? Three? Seven? What about that nurse who suddenly transferred to an asylum down in Florida? What was it $75,000 if she abort the child? She refused but in fear of your wife finding out you gave her $50,000 and a letter of recommendation to that Florida asylum to buy her silence. That child would be two by now, I wonder if he looks like daddy."

"How do you know about this?" Dr. Byrd hissed, fearful of the recording of the session getting out, he hits the erase button of the machine before him. "You can't just threaten a doctor!"

"I'm not threatening you I am merely informing you that you are not as secretive as you think," Crane smirked as he sat back down in his chair. "After all if all you have to fear is an affair ruining your marriage then you are doing a lot better than some of these employees around here. However, that isn't your main fear is it? There is that body you hide before you moved here. I wonder if Batman knew about the bodies you left in you wake if you would be in the cell across from mine. You sit there thinking you are smarter than me because I never hid my bodies. I displayed them for the world to see, while you fear what people will think. I think you are a coward."

"That's enough!" Byrd roared standing up and slamming his hands on the desk. "You know nothing about the death of those unfortunate patients!"

"You killed them because they threatened to expose you as the rapist you are," Crane accused.

"At least I didn't try to drive them insane!" he huffed. "So what is I raped a few patient, and killed a few victims. It is my word against yours and no one will believe you!"

"You do realize they updated the security cameras in the office to include audio since I worked here and my patient tapes mysteriously erased themselves," Crane gloated as he let a smirk slip on his face.

Screaming in frustration, Byrd ran from the room. He ran out of the asylum and drove away, preparing to live a life on the run. The guards came in speechless to fin Crane sitting there smirking. Then Warden Sharpe entered the room.

"What did you do to that doctor?" he asked.

"I just confirmed my suspicions of you still hiring murders and rapists," Crane gloated. "Oh and I really would recommend adding audio to the cameras in here unless you have someone who can read lips you let a perfect confession of a villain become useless since I'm not a viable witness. I believe I will go back to my cell now."

"I will not put up with your antics Crane!" Sharpe roared as the guards chained Crane and led him back to his cell.

Crane could hear Sharpe ordering a guard to doing a thorough search into Dr. Byrd's past. Being tossed back into his cell he was left alone with his thoughts and it was driving him mad. Nigma was being dragged down the hall by some guards; his left eye was beginning to bruise. After the guards left Nigma threw his pillow at his cell door.

"Who did that to you?" Crane asked trying to keep his mind off of Sid.

"Joker," Nigma grumbled as he slumped onto the bed. "Apparently he didn't like me telling Harley to shut up. We need to get out of here."

"Whenever you figure out how to exit let me know," Crane answered as he sat down on his cot.

**Thank you to my reviewer Booklover1598**


	29. Bank Heist

It took two weeks for Nigma to get a plan together and another week for the rouges of Gotham to be roaming the streets again. Four months had passed, and Crane had locked himself in a warehouse on the docks making enough fear gas to bath all of Gotham in it. Nigma found him filling canisters as he entered the warehouse full of crates stacked up to the ceiling all packed with canisters of gas.

"Still here," Nigma said as he walked up to the table. "Have you stopped by the apartment like I recommended our last visit?"

"I'm busy," he replied as he started to crate the filled canisters. "How's the bank plan coming along."

"Just a few more details to go over and we will be ready to rob it," he informed him. Crane had worked with Nigma on a few bank robberies to make money to buy chemicals for his gas, and he was running low on ingredients again. "The kid thinks she is still alive. Claims she is still texting him on burner phones."

"The child is making up delusions so he will not have to face the truth of her death," Crane stated as he sealed the crate.

"Then how did he know you promised her to check in on her when you escape?" Nigma asked.

"Lucky guess," Crane told him as he lifted the crate. "Let me know when we are ready to rob this bank."

"We go tomorrow night," Nigma replied before leaving the warehouse.

* * *

Nigma had planned everything meticulously; every small detail for this job was perfect just like the other six banks he robbed since he escaped Arkham. Yet here he was running from the cops with two bags full of cash in his hands as Crane threw canisters of fear gas at the cops who were pursuing him. He knew the Bat-family would be busy across town with Joker taking over a TV station and holding Commissioner Gordon prisoner to stop them.

As they turned the next corner they came upon a road blocked by a cop car and two officers pointing guns in their face. Holding up his hands with the bags of cash still in them he looked back at Crane who was reaching for another canister with his free hand, his other had a bag full of cash in it, but stop when a warning shot was fired. The two cops had backed them against a store front. No more officers had pursued them since they where afflicted by the fear gas.

Racking his mind trying to figure out an escape plan, he noticed the cop evading the police cruiser flying at them. The cause of the car's movement was a black dodge charger slamming into the car. The tinted passenger window was rolled down.

"Get in," the driver ordered, and Nigma scrambled into the back of the car and Crane jumped into the front.

The car speed off into reverse before he could close his door. At an intersection he could feel the car spin the shoot off foreword down the road as he was tossed around in the back seat. Once he was able to steady himself he sat up to yell at their driver to be more careful, but he found himself speechless.

"You two are acting like you've seen a ghost," Sid laughed as she took another sharp turn.

"You're supposed to be dead!" Nigma yelled as he ripped off his that had shifted and covered his eyes after her last turn.

"That was not my decision," she replied as she zipped through the streets of Gotham. "The original plan was me escaping from the van, but the guild needed to dispose of some bodies. I text the kid to let him know I was still alive. What you didn't believe him?"

"He's a seven year old kid!" Nigma hissed, earning him a glare in the review mirror from Sid. "Crane said he was delusional!"

"You two are just lucky I came back tonight and have a police scanner," she replied as she made another sharp turn.

"What kind of getaway driver are you!" Nigma huffed as he tumbled around in the back seat.

"An effective one," she replied as she turned down an ally next to the apartment building.

Hitting a button on a keychain on her keys, the dumpster next to the building moved aside and the wall went up like a garage door. Pulling into the doorway the garage door went down as soon as she was in. The entire floor was filled with cars, bikes, and a lift surrounded by tool boxes. She parked the car and got out.

"Secret garage," Nigma stated as he stuffed the cash that had fallen out of his bags on the ride.

"Well I wasn't going to let out all my secrets," she replied as she turned to the sound of clicking heels.

"I expected you five minutes ago," T said as she walked towards them.

"Sorry had to pick up some unexpected passengers," she informed her heading to the now popped trunk and retrieving a duffle bag.

"Well him I know, but who is that?" T asked as she pointed to Nigma.

"I'm the Riddler! You should know that you daft girl!" Nigma hissed as he tied his money bags closed.

"T Nigma, Nigma my sister T," Sid said giving short introductions and pulling out an envelope. "By the way your mother wanted me to give you this,"

"You told my mother where I was," T huffed as she snatched the envelope and started counting the money inside. "She does know my favorite founding father, hello Mr. Franklin."

"She did have me daggling by my ankles over a vat of acid," Sid replied as she slipped a prescription bag she pulled out of the driver door into her duffle bag. "Now are we all done hanging out in the garage I would like to go to bed now."

"He doesn't talk much does he," T said as nudged her head towards Crane, who was standing there with a death grip on his mask and the cash bag in his hands.

"I'm just waiting for the explosion," Sid sighed.

**Thank you to my reviewers HomicidalCow, Chronic Sandman, and booklover1598**


	30. Small talk

"So he's just sitting in the living room not speaking?" the kid gaped as Nigma finished eating his sandwich.

"I left once Sid walked in," he replied, as he stood up and looked down the hallway. "I would assume Crane would have said something, but he is being stubborn right now. I think he is experiencing feelings he doesn't know how to deal with."

"Fucking JERK!" Sid huffed as she stormed out of the living room and towards her own room.

"I assume there talk didn't go well," Nigma said as he turned around and noticed the kid was gone, the pantry door was now closed. "Coward."

Sighing Nigma headed down towards the living room. He found Crane sitting on the couch with a death grip on his mask. Trying not to laugh at the sight of him, Nigma waltz in the room like normal looking around the room and noticing Sid's duffle bag on the floor and made a mental note of it. Crane was still wearing his costume while Nigma had changed into dark colored jeans and an emerald colored t-shirt.

"Still silent," Nigma noted as he stood in front of Crane. "I'm going to tell you this as your friend. Sort out you emotions quickly because both of you are ticking time bombs and I don't want to be around for the explosion." Crane still didn't speak. "Okay fine I'll psycho analyze you. The reason you are standing there sorting through these foreign emotions is because you have never dealt with these emotions and now you are confronted with the one thing you have been trying to not think of for the past four months." Nigma noticed Crane was staring at the floor and he moved towards the duffle bag. "Instead of mourning her you spent all time and energy on making enough fear gas to cover Gotham. Now here she is in front of you, and you are feeling relief a foreign emotion. Well suck it up and go make little Crane babies with her."

"Edward," Crane said as he looked up and noticed Nigma rummaging through her duffle bag. "Get out of her bag."

"But it's interesting," Nigma replied as he grabbed a black zipper up hoodie advertising a concert festival. "Look here this Mayhem concert was last weekend in Philadelphia, wonder if she went or someone bought it for her." He tossed the hoodie at Crane. "Four leather bound books in here Grimm's fairy tales, Dracula, Dante's Inferno, and The complete tales of Edgar Allen Poe. Oh and a pink zebra print thong."

"Nigma!" Crane hissed as he yanked the bag away from him and the prescription bag fell out.

"Well what do we have here," Nigma said as he snatched the bag up and ripped off the labels. "Two prescriptions from a local CVS/Pharmacy for a Bonnie Cartwright, one of her aliases I've seen in her iPad file. One is Ondansetron used to treat nausea and the other Select OB a prenatal vitamin. I was kidding when I said making baby Cranes!"

"Give me that," Crane ordered as he ripped the label out of Nigma's hand and read the information on the labels.

"When did you two even have a chance," Nigma gaped as Crane crushed up the labels. "So there was more than talking going on in solitary."

"Shut up," Crane demanded as he stormed out of the room and burst into Sid's room.

She sat up in her bed, dagger poised in the hand ready to throw. Seeing it was Crane she huffed and sheathed the dagger before putting it on her nightstand. Waiting for him to speak, he found himself once more at a loss for words.

"Are you just going to stand there all night or tell me why you busted into my room?" she huffed as she stood up and he noticed she was wearing a loose t-shirt with her flannel pajama bottoms.

"You're pregnant," he accused and her jaw dropped but her look of shock was quickly replaced by a murderous glare.

"Nigma went through my bag, I'm going to kill him," she hissed as she ran a hand through her hair. "I was going to tell you once you were speaking to me again." She held up her hand when he was about to speak again. "I'm giving you one warning if you say 'how did this happen' I'm throwing my dagger at you because you were fully present when it happened."

"Fine I won't say it, but what are we going to do," he replied as he walked towards her and she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.

"You are over complicating things again," she sighed and leaned her head against his chest.

"A child complicates things," he told her as he held her close, feeling relieved he could feel her breathing against him. "You are far too relaxed about this."

"I know it's hard for you to do but trust me," she said as she stifled a yawn. "Now I really would like to go to bed now, and you could use a shower."

"Just because you can tell Nigma he stinks," he started to say before she moved away from him and smiled.

"I'm just letting you know you are not sleeping in my bed smelling like a sweaty dog," she laughed as she sat back on the bed. "You can use my shower if you want."

"How kind of you," he said as she lay back down. "We are having a serious discussion tomorrow, no playing games or avoiding topics."

"Fine, fine," she yawned and rolled over. "Whatever you want Jonathan."

Crane went to go use her shower and halfway through his shower it hit him that was the first time she used his first name. She always called him Crane or Scarecrow and now here he was trying to figure out what it all meant.

**Thank you to my reviewer Chronic Sandman, and booklover1598**


	31. More Plans

Crane awoke the next morning to find himself in bed alone. Getting out of bed he found jeans and a white shirt in his size folded on the dresser. Changing he walked out to find Nigma standing in the hallway.

"What mischief are you up to now?" Crane sighed waiting to see what trouble his friend was going to get into today.

"None right now," he replied as they heard a loud slam and clanging of metal and the wall opened up and T stormed out of the room ranting in French. "Apparently there was a hidden gym we didn't know about and the three of them have been in there discussing rearrange the apartment to accommodate a nursery. Who would think that the Scarecrow would have a child."

"Great the first Gotham Rouge with a kid," he sighed knowing that if this got out beyond him and Nigma would put his child in a lot of deadly situation.

"I never said you were the first," Nigma smirked before he continued down the hall. "And Deka made a huge breakfast with every kind of German meat possible; there is still some left over in the kitchen."

Crane was about to follow Nigma and ask him what he meant by he wasn't the first, when a petite brunet walked out of the gym and pointed to the wall.

"We can put a door here and after we gut the room, put up some new dry wall, a fresh coat of paint no one will ever know it was your little lab," she explained as Sid walked out wearing black bulky sweatshirt. "The storage shed we put up on the roof will serve as your lab area and you can still make you prosthetics and whatever else you did in that room."

"Fine, place the order for the shed and we will go from there once the shed is built," Sid replied then noticed Crane standing in the hall. "Jonathan this is Deka's daughter Shiloh, she's helping me with remodeling. Shi this is my friend Jonathan."

"Nice to meet you," Shi said as she worked on her iPad then disappeared back into the gym.

"She's not much of a people person," Sid explained, and Jonathan's stomach rumbled. "Why don't you go eat breakfast then we will have that discussion you wanted to have last night."

She didn't give him time to respond as she retreated back into the gym and the wall closed behind her. He entered the kitchen to find it empty besides for the food covering the counter. Nigma wasn't joking about all the different kinds of meats, and he ate quickly the foods he recognized. Returning to the hallway he noticed the door to the gym was still closed and he had no idea how to open it so he decided to wait in the living room for her.

There he found Nigma and the kid sitting on the couch, an Xbox remote was in Nigma's hand and the kid was telling him what buttons to hit. This was an odd sight for Crane to see but decided to sit in the oversized chair while the two played their game.

Nigma handed the remote back to the kid when he spotted Crane. "Did you meet the new girl?" Crane nodded his head yes. "Shame she is only sixteen but Deka is so happy to have her here she's cooking like crazy." Nigma noticed Crane wasn't joining the conversation and kept talking. "Apparently Deka had her when she was fifteen her parents forced her to give up the child but she found her and instead of kidnapping Shiloh from her adoptive family she made friends with the adoptive parents and told Shiloh the truth when she was about ten and Shiloh kept running away to be with Deka. Sweet don't you think?"

"Looks like he's still pissed at you," the kid commented as he continued to play the game.

"If the cops are chasing you why are you pulling into that building?" Nigma asked as he watched the screen.

"Grand theft auto rules," he replied as he changed the color of the car to white. "Change your cars color while in police purist and they leave confused as to where you went."

"I know a couple of Gotham officers who would fall for that," Nigma stated causing Crane to laugh a little.

"When you are on the run let me know if it actually works," Crane said as Deka called for the kid and he paused the game and left the room. "You two seem to be getting along."

"So no one has told you," Nigma laughed, as he lounged back on the couch. "I found out his mother's real name is Cheryl Byrd, who was one of my gang members about eight years ago. Real fan girl too, she disappeared from the gang when we were caught robbing a bank, she turned snitch and then went into hiding. Even though she betrayed me it seems I left her a little gift."

"You really think that kid is yours?" Crane asked him knowing it was easy to make fake documents to prove who your parents are.

"It makes sense the kid is a genius and any child of mine would inherit my brain," Nigma informed him. "Plus I hacked the hospital records and the year she gave birth was the year they started DNA testing any child whose mother claims their father is a rouge. It has been a real trend apparently and lucky for the labs they have plenty of our DNA on file. There were 15 children whose mother claimed Joker was their father and none of them were of course. Why women would want to say they had sex with that clown is beyond me. But the kid's DNA matches mine enough to be consider his father so what else would you like to test besides his DNA to prove he isn't mine?"

"How do you know he didn't hack the hospital records first," Crane responded causing Nigma to stop and stare at him. "If he is such a genius he could of hack and changed the records himself before you did your own research."

Nigma got up without a word and stormed past Sid who was entering the living room.

"You're so distrustful," she said as she sat down on the couch. "The kid didn't make it up though."

"Yes but he will argue with the kid about it for at least an hour leaving us time to talk," he stated as he stared at her. "Now what in the hell are we going to do."

"I told you, you are over complicating things," she sighed as she leaned on the couch arm and put her head on her hand. "Shi is here to help remodel the house to add another room and if both of us get arrested she is fully capable of taking care of a child. I also need to leave for Philadelphia two weeks before my due date where I will give birth to the child under my alias of Bonnie Cartwright and when the child reaches school age I will home school them just like I do with the kid."

"You have thought about this," he noted as his mind ran through her short summary of her plan.

"I come from a different world then the rouges of Gotham," she huffed then stood up and sat down on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. "The guild makes plans for children whether or not the child parents want them they have policies set in place for multiple scenarios. The midwife delivering the baby is a former member of the guild and knows what to do."

"You said she was here is we both get arrested," he stated, as his brain racked through all different situations that could happen with the child.

"I'm going back to carjacking to have a steady income," she said and he snapped his head to stare at her. "After the child is born of course, I'm not going to put the child in any unnecessary danger."

"When the child is a year old you can," he stated and she started laughing.

"Are you really ordering me around?" she laughed and he pulled her down into his lap.

"The first year of a child's life is when they are most vulnerable and I will not leave my child's care to a stranger," he informed her and she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick kiss.

"They are not strangers but my friends," she replied.

"Yes but you told me to trust you there was nothing about trusting them," he said as Nigma reentered the room.

"You guys are disgusting you already made one child you could wait before trying to make another," Nigma said before he walked back out.

"We really need to get rid of him," she sighed.

"Or we just start locking every door."

**Thank you to my reviewer Chronic Sandman, and booklover1598, and yes I do love my suspense.**


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